Brendan Hoskins: Bail bid for East Maitland man allegedly caught with 1kg of cocaine in his pants
An East Maitland man, who was allegedly caught with a kilogram of cocaine hidden in his pants after he jumped out of a window trying to evade police, has made a bid for bail, prepared to engage in rehabilitation.
Newcastle
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A court has heard, an East Maitland man who jumped out of a window in an attempt to evade police before he was allegedly found with a kilogram of cocaine hidden in his pants, had a long standing drug addiction and wanted the chance to engage in rehabilitation.
Brendan Hoskins, 31, applied for bail in Raymond Terrace Local Court on Monday, his solicitor telling the court he was prepared to be accepted into a program at Niagara Lodge, a group home on the Central Coast for drug and alcohol dependent people.
“This is a stringent program and the facility is quite proactive with people on bail and monitor their conditions,” Hoskins’ lawyer said.
“It is also takes him well away from where the alleged offences occurred at Heatherbrae and East Maitland, 89.2km.”
Electronic monitoring was also offered up, which would notify police in just 11 seconds of any breach and there would be no room to move in terms of “misbehaviour”.
Police allege Hoskins jumped out of a window and fled from an industrial shed at Heatherbrae on September 9 trying to evade capture.
When police notice a large package bulging from his shorts, they removed it and it was allegedly found to be cocaine.
Police also searched the industrial property and seized motorcycles, a car, methylamphetamine, cash, mobile phones and knuckle dusters.
Hoskins arrest followed earlier reports of a domestic-violence related incident at a home in East Maitland on September 5, which police attended.
Upon arrival, they spoke with a 30-year-old woman and a search of the home allegedly uncovered cannabis, methylamphetamine, steroids, cocaine, and more than $20,000 cash.
The 31-year-old was charged with five offences including supply large commercial quantity of prohibited drug, possess prohibited drug, attempt to stalk intimidate and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Police prosecutor Matthew Barry opposed Hoskins’ bail application citing the charge of drug supply carried a maximum penalty of 15 years and it was an extremely strong prosecution case, which was likely to see him going to jail.
There were also concerns that he would commit another serious offence if released and his poor compliance with court attendance in the past.
The court also heard Hoskins had recently been sentenced to four months in jail by Maitland Magistrate John Chicken after drug possession charges, but had lodged a severity appeal in the district court, set down for later this month.
Magistrate Brett Shields agreed Hoskins had a substantial criminal history, noting a lengthy 22 pages in-front of him, and wasn’t convinced he could mitigate risk. He was refused bail.
His matters have been adjourned until next month.