Russell John Barnett is facing six charges, including possessing prohibited drugs, having a firearm etc at a property that is subject to a prohibition order, supplying drugs and possessing suspected stolen goods.

The 28-year-old appeared in the dock of Tamworth Local Court where his solicitor Alex Floyd lodged a fresh bid for bail on Monday afternoon.

“Mr Barnett is presently on parole, he was released in January,” Mr Floyd told the court.

But Magistrate Roger Prowse scanned the police facts and immediately disqualified himself.

“I thought that might be the case, I don’t do Strike Force Raptor matters,” he told the court.

“Mr Barnett given the involvement of a particular group, I don’t do those sorts of matters.”

Mr Prowse said although it “causes you inconvenience” … “there’s no way around it”, and adjourned it to Armidale Local Court.

When questioned if he wanted to appear in person, Barnett replied “I’ll go for a drive” to Armidale, he said.

“Doesn’t matter, I’ll go to Armidale,” he said.

Barnett was arrested on March 22 after a firearm prohibition order was served and a Moonbi property was searched by Oxley police and officers from Strike Force Raptor – the force’s dedicated gangs squad.

Officers allege during the search they found an amount of property suspected of being stolen.

“The bail continues to be refused in the meantime, that’s the decision of the registrar,” Mr Prowse said.