NSW: Standen to spend Christmas in jail after bail refused

AAP General News (Australia)
12-22-2008
NSW: Standen to spend Christmas in jail after bail refused

Disgraced crime fighter MARK STANDEN .. facing charges of drug importation and conspiracy
.. will spend Christmas in jail after a Sydney magistrate rejected his latest bail application.

His lawyers made the application in Sydney's Central Local Court today .. arguing the
case against him was flawed and incomplete .. and he would suffer psychological harm if
kept in custody.

The former NSW Crime Commission assistant director of investigations was arrested in
June after a two-year federal drug investigation spanning three continents.

The 51-year-old was among a group of people arrested in Australia .. the Netherlands
and Thailand over the alleged plot to import hundreds of kilograms of precursor chemicals
to manufacture the drug ice.

Magistrate ALLAN MOORE refused the bail application .. saying the crown has a substantial
case against STANDEN .. despite his lawyer's claim.

Mr MOORE also says his background as a police officer made STANDEN a flight risk.

STANDEN is due back in court in February for the start of a two-day committal hearing.

AAP RTV ab/wjf/crh

KEYWORD: STANDEN (SYDNEY)

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