Umina Beach: UK national Bradley Michael Nash applies for bail after Taskforce Erebus arrest
A UK national, 37, who allegedly tried to flee when heavily armed police arrived at his door has applied for bail, with a court hearing he was just ‘looking after’ almost $900,000 in cash.
Central Coast
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A man charged with dealing with the proceeds of crime after officers from the cops’ gang busting squad Taskforce Erebus came banging on his Umina Beach door has applied for bail.
Appearing via video link at Gosford Local Court on Friday Bradley Michael Nash said little as his solicitor applied for bail, telling the court the 37-year-old had strong community ties, was just ‘looking after’ almost $900,000 cash for someone else and it was `possible’ Mr Nash would avoid a jail sentence.
The court heard Mr Nash ran a bricklaying business while his partner had a textiles company and the couple had a 10-month-old child.
Mr Nash’s solicitor told the court his client had immigrated to Australia in 2010 and the couple had a mortgage since 2018.
He said Mr Nash had little other than “distant relatives” to return to in the UK and his life and community ties were in Australia.
He told the court Mr Nash had a limited criminal record and he could abide by strict bail conditions including a curfew, surrendering his passport and have a friend and “respected businessman” post $100,000 in surety.
The NSW Police Force, in partnership with the NSW Crime Commission, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) and Australian Federal Police (AFP) established Taskforce Erebus last month in the wake of three fatal shootings.
On May 18 officers attached to Taskforce Erebus conducted five simultaneous raids across the Central Coast including Woy Woy and Umina Beach.
The court heard Mr Nash was arrested while allegedly trying to flee “across properties” when he became aware of police and he was also charged with one count of trespassing into neighbours’ yards.
The court heard police seized $338,000 cash from his Umina Beach home before he allegedly gave them the security code to access a storage facility where they seized a further $556,000 cash and $3640 in British pounds.
Police will allege Mr Nash came under notice of Taskforce Erebus officers investigating alleged criminal activity and he was not linked to any shootings.
Mr Nash’s solicitor also told the court his client was suffering from an ongoing back injury, which he had not been able to receive any treatment for while in custody and that even if he was convicted of dealing with the proceeds of crime it was “possible” he could receive an intensive corrections order rather than a full time custodial sentence.
Magistrate Jennifer Price said Mr Nash knew there were “thousands [of dollars] in a grey bag” and he was “looking after it for someone”.
Magistrate Price said given the amount of money seized, any surety offered as part of his bail conditions would “pale” in comparison to what he might be able to obtain.
“He obviously has access to sums of money,” she said.
Magistrate Price refused him bail and Mr Nash was adjourned to face court again on July 15.
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