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Review on electronic monitoring devices amid fears that dozens of alleged criminals on bail are not being watched

An urgent review has begun on the use of private electronic monitoring devices, such as ankle bracelets, as authorities scramble to find more than 20 alleged criminals still on bail amid concerns they have not being tracked for months.

The State Government has ordered a review of private companies being hired to track people on bail. (File Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette)
The State Government has ordered a review of private companies being hired to track people on bail. (File Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette)

Authorities have been scrambling to check on the whereabouts of dozens of alleged criminals in response to concerns their electronically monitored ankle bracelets were not being tracked for months.

The state government has now ordered an urgent review into private firms being hired to track the devices after a Daily Telegraph investigation found the provider in charge of keeping constant tabs on more than 20 defendants, all subject to strict bail conditions, may not have known their locations for months.

They include former fugitive Hussein Chamas, the alleged drug importer who was arrested in the Arafura Sea south of West Papua three weeks after walking out of a Port Stephens rehab centre, Connect Global, when it received fresh bail conditions purporting to be from the NSW Supreme Court.

The court later confirmed Chamas’ bail conditions had not been changed and it had not created the paperwork sent to Connect Global.

Chamas had been granted bail in 2023 with a long list of strict conditions, confirmed by court documents to include wearing an electronic monitoring device provided by private company Bailsafe.

Several residents at Swan Bay rehab centre Connect Global were on conditional bail, including wearing electronic monitoring devices. Picture: Jonathan Ng
Several residents at Swan Bay rehab centre Connect Global were on conditional bail, including wearing electronic monitoring devices. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The 35-year-old is understood to have been wearing his ankle bracelet when he left Connect Global, although it remains unclear how long he continued to have it on. There is no suggestion he left because he was not being monitored.

However, it can be revealed at least three other residents at Connect Global – all wearing devices from Bailsafe – could not have been monitored for at least three days last month after storms ripped out power to the Swan Bay facility, meaning the devices could not be recharged.

Authorities arrest fugitive Hussein Chamas and two other people aboard a yacht in the Arafura Sea, off the NT coast, on January 26, 2025. Chamas had been wearing an ankle bracelet when he left Connect Global on January 8. Picture: AFP
Authorities arrest fugitive Hussein Chamas and two other people aboard a yacht in the Arafura Sea, off the NT coast, on January 26, 2025. Chamas had been wearing an ankle bracelet when he left Connect Global on January 8. Picture: AFP

Bailsafe never contacted authorities or the rehab centre to check on the “clients” despite the devices’ batteries being dead.

Phone calls from the rehab centre to Bailsafe to warn the company about the power issue were not answered or returned.

Another client, who had hired Bailsafe for rehab and electronic monitoring and spoke on condition of anonymity, said they had been unsuccessful in trying to contact the company since November.

The client said they had been able to speak with a call centre operator several times in November but no one from the Bailsafe returned calls.

Hussein Chamas. Picture: AFP
Hussein Chamas. Picture: AFP

Multiple calls to Bailsafe’s offices in Sydney and Melbourne over the past five days have continued to go unanswered, with a generic answering machine stating a representative would reply in business hours despite the calls being made between 9am and 5pm on weekdays.

Emails have also gone unanswered and one has bounced back.

It is understood Bailsafe was responsible for the monitoring of more than 20 people currently on conditional bail.

A NSW Police spokesperson confirmed in a statement the force had been notified on Friday and was “conducting enquiries”.

Questions about how many people on the Bailsafe books had been located, how many were still outstanding and how many had had their bail conditions revoked were not answered.

Instead, the spokesperson issued this statement: “Police routinely conduct bail compliance checks on people who are granted conditional bail. Where appropriate, any person found in breach of those conditions, is put back before the courts.”

Following a series of questions from this masthead, NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley has asked for advice from the Department of Communities and Justice on the use of private companies being in charge of monitoring devices in regards to bail.

An electronic monitoring ankle bracelet. (File picture)
An electronic monitoring ankle bracelet. (File picture)

A committee called the Bail Act Management Group – which members include representatives from police, corrective services, the DPP, Legal Aid, the Department of Communities and Justice and the Department of Premier and Cabinet – is also expected to discuss the issue at a meeting on Wednesday.

And the government review was announced after being contacted by this masthead.

“The government is reviewing the regulation of private electronic devices to see if it can be improved,” a Department of Communities and Justice spokeswoman said in a statement.

“Mandatory electronic monitoring imposed under section 28B of the Bail Act 2013 for accused persons charged with serious domestic violence offences is arranged and supervised by Corrective Services NSW. Private electronic monitoring providers are not used for this cohort.

“Courts may impose bail conditions, including a requirement that a person is electronically monitored, in response to risks identified during bail proceedings.

“Bail regulations require that a court must be satisfied that electronic monitoring meets prescribed minimum standards before imposing an electronic monitoring condition.

“Independent electronic monitoring delivered by private service providers such as Bailsafe is different from mandatory electronic monitoring for people accused of serious domestic violence offences.”

A further statement read: “The Attorney-General has asked DCJ to advise on the use of private Electronic Monitoring providers in bail matters and consider any improvements that may be made.”

Originally published as Review on electronic monitoring devices amid fears that dozens of alleged criminals on bail are not being watched

Original URL: https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/nsw/review-on-electronic-monitoring-devices-amid-fears-that-dozens-of-alleged-criminals-on-bail-are-not-being-watched/news-story/3a53770045b2160e3ca878f0be19f5c7