Russell John Barnett was arrested yesterday morning by police as he prepared to front Tamworth Local Court on several property and reporting charges for a hearing.

The 27-year-old was taken down to the police cells and questioned before he was charged with four fresh offences, including perverting the course of justice, making and using a false document to influence exercise of public duty, and failing to comply with reporting obligations under the Child Protection Register.

Investigators will allege Barnett created a false letter from an employer supporting a bail variation for work reasons and tendered it in a bail variation hearing in court on September 11.

Barnett, who is on curfew bail, attempted to have his nighttime curfew changed for work, but police will allege checks revealed the purported employer was false and no such person existed.

Following Barnett’s arrest, solicitor Wendy McAuliffe said she was unable to continue to represent her client on his other matters.

“There is an ethical issue and I can no longer appear,” she told Tamworth Local Court, before withdrawing from the matters.

Barnett is charged with four larceny, break-in, and enter building with intent to commit indictable offences charges, which he has denied, but has admitted to intimidating an off-duty Corrections officer near Moonbi.

The hearing was adjourned and Barnett appeared in the dock yesterday afternoon to face the four fresh counts.

“This is a show-cause offence,” Magistrate Michael Holmes said, examining the papers that triggered the show-cause bail hearing, meaning Barnett had to prove to the court why his detention was not justified.

But the bail application was abruptly withdrawn at the last minute. “On further instruction, the application is not pressed,” solicitor Stephen O’Reilly said after approaching his client in the dock.

“I anticipate the situation will change next Tuesday.”

The court heard the fresh charges would be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute.

Barnett faces up to 14 years in prison if convicted of perverting the course of justice.

“On all matters, bail not applied for, refused,” Mr Holmes said.