Bruce Anthony Coss, accused of Bingara murder, gets bail
A man accused of killing another man with a steel-capped baseball bat in northern NSW has been released on bail.
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A man accused of killing another man with a modified steel-capped baseball bat has been released on bail as he awaits trial.
Bruce Anthony Coss, 48, pleaded not guilty to murdering Darren Willis as he walked home from a pub on a Friday night in Bingara, northern NSW.
Willis was last seen leaving The Imperial Hotel on December 10, 2010. His body was never found.
Nine years later, Coss was arrested.
He was accused of assaulting Willis, causing fatal injuries with a wooden baseball bat modified with a steel cap, the NSW Supreme Court heard on Thursday.
Coss was also caught on listening devices speaking to himself making “damaging” comments in October 2018, the court heard.
“He makes comments which are, on one view of it, damaging to him,” Judge Peter Anthony Johnson SC told the bail hearing.
Judge Johnson said the Crown would rely on the recordings, as well as evidence from two witnesses, Scott Graham Marle and Robert James Stonestreet.
Both witnesses, who had different accounts of what happened that night, will give evidence in a five-day preliminary hearing in November 2021.
Judge Johnson said this would help assess the “quality and nature” of their evidence, before a trial date is set.
The Crown raised concerns in the hearing for the safety of the two witnesses if Coss was to be released.
Judge Johnson said this could be avoided by banning Coss from visiting Bingara.
Coss’ legal team told the court it was difficult for their client to prepare his defence from jail, where he had been since his arrest in October 2019.
Mr Johnson granted bail, ordering Coss to hand over $100,000 which would be forfeited if he failed to show up to court.
He must live with his friend in Urunga, report daily to police and not go within 100km of Bingara.
Mr Johnson told Coss: “It must be very clear to you: any contact by telephone or text message, in particular with Mr Stonestreet or Mr Marle, you would be rearrested.”
Coss responded: “I fully understand it. Thank you very much.”
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