Englishwoman Sarah Rutherford arrested over alleged Sydney cocaine supply ring
A young Englishwoman from Sydney’s southwest has been arrested and charged after allegedly leading a dial-a-dealer cocaine ring supplying the drug to a spate of Sydney suburbs.
The Express
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A 29-year-old Englishwoman has been charged over allegedly coordinating a drug delivery service across Sydney.
Sarah Rutherford, from Greenacre in Sydney’s west, was arrested by police on Wednesday morning after an investigation into the supply of illicit drugs across the city.
Officers raided Rutherford’s home and allegedly found mobile phones, cocaine, drug paraphernalia and documents including prescription scripts.
Police will allege Rutherford co-ordinated a drug delivery service across Sydney and supplied more than 300g of cocaine between September 2019 and February 2020.
She faces a string of drug-related charges including supplying prohibited drugs of a commercial quantity and knowingly/recklessly directing a criminal group assisting crime.
Footage of the arrest shows the woman handcuffed and covering her face as she is put in a police van and transported to Bankstown Police Station.
The young woman’s Facebook page says she is originally from Bridgwater in Somerset, England and now lives in Sydney.
Rutherford sat motionless in the courtroom dock throughout her bail application at Bankstown Local Court on Friday.
Her defence lawyer filed an application for her release, citing the state of her health and the ongoing effects she deals with from a past trauma.
“(Rutherford) was the victim of a kidnapping ... in 2012 ... verified by the officer in charge,” he said. “She has a considerable fear of being in confined spaces … she’s suffering from stress and anxiety. Two suicide attempts have been reported to Canterbury Hospital.”
The defence lawyer said Rutherford also needed to be home to take care of her two puppies - one of which has bronchitis - and the risks posed by her release could be offset by strict conditions.
These include house arrest, daily reporting to Bankstown Police station, the surrender of her passport, the use of only one mobile phone and a $10,000 bond.
“It is a circumstantial case and it is not a particularly strong case in relation to the …show cause offence,” he said. “If she is bail refused, she’s likely to spend several months in custody before this goes to trial.”
The prosecution rejected the claim the case is weak – a point the magistrate later supported – and said evidence had not been provided to substantiate Rutherford’s anxiety.
“It’s quite a strong case, there’s physical and electronic surveillance, and a phone linked back to the defendant,” he said.
“(She could) interfere with witnesses. This is a large scale investigation involving a number of delivery drivers and people.”
The prosecution said drugs had a large impact on the community, and the prison sentence, if convicted, would be lengthy anyway.
Magistrate Glenn Walsh said each of Rutherford’s six charges have substantial maximum terms of imprisonment, ranging from 10 to 20 years.
“There is an overwhelming Crown case,” Mr Walsh said.
“A submission is made that the phone is found on her on December 6. There’s electronic recording of intercepted calls and other evidence.
“When arrested, the phone was in her premises. This is not a case where there was one usage of a phone.
“It is like painting a picture … and she is a principal artist … organising the delivery of cocaine throughout Sydney by way of drivers, meeting with drivers, giving drugs to the drivers for delivery and taking money.”
Mr Walsh said he weighed health factors against the risk posed to the community and they did not stop her alleged role in the drug delivery service.
But he said the “broader matter” was the chance she might commit serious offences and fail to present to court, due to the long prison sentences she faces if convicted.
“She poses an unacceptable flight risk,” he said.
Magistrate Walsh refused the application for bail. Rutherford’s case will return to Bankstown Local Court on April 23.