A SOLICITOR for one of the men at the centre of race fixing allegations has asked for phone tap transcripts obtained by NSW Police.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Anthony Ian Mabbott, 34, fronted Tamworth Local Court yesterday for the first time since he was arrested on May 27.
He is facing two charges of facilitate conduct that corrupts betting outcome of an event and two counts of use corrupt conduct information to bet on event.
The charges surround harness racing meets in Tamworth on April 17 and Muswellbrook on April 21.
Police allege Mabbott was involved in at least two races and allege he, along with co-accused Robert Clement and others, facilitated the corrupt conduct of a betting event.
Yesterday in court, a local solicitor requested the “transcripts of phone intercepts that the prosecution has obtained.”
Local police prosecutor Sergeant Mathew Price told the court the case had been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
He also requested the case be adjourned to July 10 so the case could “marry up with the co-accused.”
Mabbott faced the front of the court throughout the brief proceedings only talking to his solicitor.
Local Court magistrate Rabbidge adjourned the case to July 10, with Mabbott’s conditional bail to continue.
Strike Force Trentbridge detectives raided Mabbott’s home in Duri about 7am on May 27, but he was only charged when he presented to Tamworth Police Station that afternoon.
Mabbott is only the third person to be charged in NSW under the new race fixing laws introduced towards the end of last year.
In May, 27-year-old horse trainer Cody Morgan was charged with four race fixing offences after Strike Force Trentbridge detectives, police and Racing NSW Stewards swooped on his Attunga property.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
On the same day, Strike Force Trentbridge also raided a property at Bendemeer, arresting Robert Clement who had his harness racing trainer’s licence withdrawn in March.
He’s been charged with 12 race offences that relate to both thoroughbred and harness race meets dating back to December 28 last year.
Clement is yet to enter a plea.
Strike Force Trentbridge detectives say they have months of phone taps, which they will rely on as evidence.
Head of the Casino and Racing Investigation Unit, Detective Inspector Wayne Walpole told The Northern Daily Leader last month the phone taps were quite lengthy
“The telecommunications have been operating for a number of months,” Detective Inspector Walpole said on May 27.
Morgan, Clement and Mabbott will reappear in Tamworth Local Court on July 10.