Graeame John Cropper is behind bars on four fraud-related charges but did not appear in Tamworth Local Court when his case was mentioned on Monday.

Solicitor Stephen O’Reilly said his client did not need to appear in court for the mention of the case after it was relisted for a plea.

Mr O’Reilly did not enter pleas to the charges but asked for the case to be adjourned for a brief period, “foreshadowing a bail application” on the next occasion.

Magistrate Roger Prowse formally refused bail and adjourned the case to June.

Cropper is accused of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage or causing a disadvantage by deception on three occasions between October 1, 2015 and May 11, 2017.

Detectives claim Cropper, 53, entered into an agreement to purchase a house with the alleged victim.

According to court documents, Cropper then caused a financial disadvantage by spending $34,000 cash which was the proceeds of the sale of a Harley Davidson motorbike they claim was “money originally to be used as part payment for the property”.

A second charge alleges Cropper was provided with a $20,000 cheque “as part payment for the property” but spent it instead.

Detectives then allege Cropper also spent $14,000 provided to him in a cheque from the victim.

Investigations allege the cheque was provided to Cropper to be used as a part payment for the property.

Cropper is further alleged to have dishonestly obtained property by deception during the same period by selling a Holden Commodore station wagon.

Police allege the victim owned the car and Cropper made no payment to the man for the vehicle before on-selling it.

Investigators maintain there was no property purchased as part of the agreement.

Following an investigation, Cropper was arrested by Oxley detectives on May 11.

He has been in custody since that date after he was refused bail by Magistrate Alexander Mijovich.

According to court papers, Mijovich found Cropper an unacceptable risk of failing to appear and endangering the safety of victims and said the police case against Cropper involved a substantial amount of money and there was planning involved.