Anthony “Hot Mess” Hess floats desperate $25k idea to win bail
Accused drug trafficker Anthony Hess is so desperate to be freed from “horrible” jail conditions he has floated an idea that would track his every move.
Victoria
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A high-flying former Bitcoin trader turned accused drug trafficker says he is prepared to wear an electronic monitoring anklet — at the expense of his parents — to secure his release from behind bars.
Anthony “Hot Mess” Hess is desperate to be freed from the “horrible” conditions he is facing on remand since his arrest by Australian Federal Police officers on June 14.
Defence lawyer Bridie Kelly told Melbourne Magistrates Court Mr Hess’s Tasmania-based parents were willing to pay the $25,000 to have a GPS anklet installed if it meant their son could return to his South Melbourne apartment.
On Tuesday, Philipp Schluter, the business development manager for electronic monitoring service, Attenti, testified in court the devices were capable of tracking Mr Hess’s every move.
He said it can also be programmed to alert authorities if he is not at his home during curfew hours, approaches an airport or if he attempts to tamper with it.
“Any breaches of these are reported immediately to the officer in charge,” Mr Schluter said.
But the police have opposed bail, arguing no conditions — not even a GPS anklet — would alleviate their concerns the jetsetting socialite was a flight risk, especially given he is facing up to 25 years jail for serious drug trafficking charges.
“He’s well resourced and has high criminal contacts,” Detective Senior Constable Matthew Poore earlier told the court, adding that Mr Hess had also applied for his United States visa to be renewed.
Sen-Constable Poore said Mr Hess had been living in the US from October 2020 to January this year.
On his visa application, the court heard he claimed “it’s necessary to hide out in the USA to avoid ongoing abuse”, adding that he was in fear of his life after having a confrontation with former Mongols boss Toby Mitchell.
“I have had no involvement with Toby Mitchell or any other unsavoury characters,” he wrote.
Mr Hess, 42, whose social media accounts show him living lavishly and featuring in photos with celebrities and bikies, is charged with attempting to import three parcels containing 6kg of methamphetamine, 4kg of cocaine and 1kg of ketamine from December 2020 to July 2021.
The court heard he is part of an international drug trafficking syndicate with the ringleader, saved in his phone as “John Smith”, based in Thailand.
But following his arrest, Mr Hess denied any wrongdoing and said someone must have stolen his identity.
In his last court appearance in July, Mr Hess described being locked up in his cell for four weeks, and that he had been going hungry as they weren’t providing him enough food.
“I hate it in here — it’s horrible,” Mr Hess told the court.
But on Tuesday, he remained in good spirits and sat quietly throughout the hearing, thanking magistrate Alexandra Burt, even when told his case had to be adjourned again until next week.
The bail application will continue on August 18.
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