Dylan Rutter charged with allegedly supplying 350 ecstasy tablets in Tamworth granted bail in Supreme Court; Nicholas Hansen has bail varied | Strike Force Kotzur

Dylan Rutter was granted bail on 16 separate conditions during a hearing in the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney, last week.

The 31-year-old walked into Tamworth Local Court this week flanked by family members for a very brief hearing, before his case for commercial drug supply was adjourned.

DPP solicitor Geoffrey Kidd said Rutter was the co-accused of Mark McDonald, who the court heard had made “a further offer”.

He asked for Rutter’s case to be adjourned to marry up with the matters, which could be impacted by the offer.

“The accused now has Supreme Court bail, that was granted last week and that can continue,” Mr Kidd told the court.

As part of his strict bail conditions, imposed by Justice Natalie Adams, Rutter must live in Tamworth, is subjected to a night curfew, and must not leave home unless for work or in the company of family members.

He is prohibited from drinking alcohol, taking drugs and could be subjected to random testing by police or bail curfew checks.

To secure his release, Rutter had to post $10,000 in surety, surrender his passport, must report to police daily and must not approach an international departure point.

Rutter is yet to enter a plea to one count of supplying a prohibited drug that is not less than a commercial quantity.

Detectives will allege Rutter supplied 350 MDMA tablets between August 17 and midnight on December 8, last year, in Calala.

Rutter is one of four men charged as part of Strike Force Kotzur – a secret police operation set-up by Oxley detectives last year to investigate the supply of illegal drugs in the Tamworth area.

Co-accused Nicholas Hansen was flanked by family when he also appeared in Tamworth court on three charges, including using cocaine and commercial drug supply of MDMA.

Mr Kidd applied for a similar adjournment. Hansen’s solicitor Garry Johnston said he had received the brief of evidence, but his client’s case was “not necessarily determinative” of McDonald’s case.

Mr Johnston also applied for his client’s bail to be varied to reduce reporting from daily to three times-a-week.

“He works in Manilla, he leaves Tamworth very early, he gets back very late,” he said, adding his client had “strong ties to the area, and a very strong surety”.

“He’s finding it very difficult to attend every day of the week.”

Magistrate Julie Soars reduced the bail reporting to three days-a-week.