A WALCHA woman will remain behind bars under the state’s tough new bail laws after she allegedly tried to influence a person to pervert the course of justice and coached a child to interfere with the evidence.
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Natasha Beth Darcy-Crossman was arrested in Walcha on Wednesday night and failed in her bid to be released on bail in Tamworth Local Court yesterday, after she couldn’t persuade the court as to why she should not be detained.
“Oh god,” the 39-year-old shrieked, dropping her head into her hands after bail was refused. Darcy-Crossman was one of the first locals to be detained under the new Bail Act, after a “show cause” hearing was triggered by the serious charge, which was allegedly committed while she was on parole.
The court heard Darcy-Crossman had two weeks remaining on a two-year, 11-month sentence, after she was convicted in the district court of damaging property by fire, following an incident in Walcha in 2009.
Solicitor Fiona Hadlington said there were six issues, including “community and family ties” to Walcha, which demonstrated why her client’s detention was not justified.
“There would be a very long delay,” she said, adding that her client might not get to trial before early next year.
“There is no evidence to say she made a false statement ... I find that very hard to prove ... I do think that it is a very weak prosecution case.”
Ms Hadlington said her client denied enticing someone to change their statement after a meeting at a front gate in Walcha, as well as allegations of text messages.
“As your honour knows, that does not make a strong prosecution case,” she said, adding it was a he-said, she-said situation as it stood.
“She thinks (the complainant) is trying to get her into trouble.”
Police prosecutor Sergeant Cynthia Donovan said the charge of coaching a child to assist in criminal activity was a “premeditated and planned act”, while perverting the course of justice was a deliberate attempt “to manipulate the evidence”.
“This defendant has gone to great lengths to interfere with witnesses, which has brought the case today,” she said.
Sergeant Donovan said it was “a strong case” and that Darcy-Crossman was a high risk of reoffending and would “endanger the complainant and victims”.
“The community is at risk of those concerns,” she said.
Darcy-Crossman is facing three charges, including doing an act with intent to pervert the course of justice, making a false representation resulting in police investigation, and recruiting a child to carry out or assist in criminal activity.
“The accused has not provided evidence as to why detention is not justified. Accordingly, bail is refused,” Magistrate Michael Holmes said.
The case will return to court next month.
