A COURT has been told the parents of an accused ice dealer will dob in their son if he breaches bail, after it was granted with bail with strict conditions yesterday.

The family of Gregory Alan McBride, who is facing allegations he obtained methylamphetamine from an alleged member of the Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG) and on-sold a commercial amount across Tamworth to dealers, provided a written affidavit they would put their home up as surety to ensure their son attends court.

In front of McBride’s family, Magistrate Mal Macpherson granted his release from Silverwater Correctional Centre in Sydney yesterday morning after he  spent 16 days in custody.

“They undertake to the court that should their son breach any conditions set to address any of the bail concerns they would inform the authorities,” he said.

“That is an undertaking I believe he would adhere to even though it is his son and the consequences would be that his son would be returned to custody.”

McBride is charged with commercial drug supply, supplying an indictable quantity of a drug, possessing a prohibited weapon and cultivating a prohibited plant after he was arrested by detectives attached to Strike Force Mewburn, set up by Oxley police last year.

McBride, an airbrush painter by trade, let out a loud sigh of relief when the decision was handed down in Tamworth Local Court. 

In his bail determination, Mr Macpherson said the facts against McBride pointed to a strong prosecution case, with an “abundance of material including telephone intercepts, physical evidence and observations made by the strike force”.

“That points strongly to the fact the offender was engaged in the [alleged] sale and distribution of the drug over that period of time, supplying the drug to persons who on sold,” he said.

“There is an inference, at least, that he sources his supply through an OMCG.”

His defence had submitted the “association with an OMCG is simply through work.”

Despite labelling ice an “insidious drug”, Mr Macpherson took the unusual step of detailing in writing his determination, telling the court this week that it was “an important decision for the community”.

“I am satisfied that the accused has shown cause why his continued detention is not justified and that reasonable conditions of bail can be imposed to address the bail concerns of failing to appear and interfering with witnesses or evidence,” he said yesterday.

As well as two people offering to forfeit $130,000 in surety and deposit security, McBride has been ordered to live with family and not leave unless in their company, surrender his passport and not approach any place of departure and he will have to report to police daily.