CORY Alan Cloake will remain behind bars after a bid for bail was quashed in Tamworth Local Court.
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An alleged member of Tamworth's "ice castle", Cloake is yet to enter pleas to 30 drug and gun dealing charges.
Cloake was arrested as part of Strike Force Radius - an undercover police operation which had been targeting an alleged drug supply ring in the Tamworth area.
On Wednesday, Cloake said good morning to Magistrate Julie Soars before defence solicitor Yvonne Phillipos made the case for his release.
There were two main hurdles to overcome: Cloake had already made an application for bail the day after his arrest; and the seriousness of his charges meant he needed to provide valid reasons why his detention was unjust.
"The only thing not put to the court at his last bail application was the availability of forfeiture of $5000 from his mother, who is seated in the back of the court," Ms Phillipos said.
While Cloake remained in jail, it would be difficult to go through a substantial brief of evidence and a number of voice recordings with her client, she told the court.
"There's 30 counts before the court and it's going to require a lot of work with Mr Cloake," she said.
"He does not want a copy of his brief in the jail and I can understand that. Inmates go through your property and could read his brief, which could cause him difficulty."
Ms Phillipos argued Cloake suffered health issues and a suicide attempt in 2012 had left him in an induced coma for a week.
An alleged home invader put a gun to Cloake's head and hit him in the face with a baseball bat, which ended in another induced coma at the end of last year.
As a result, Ms Phillipos said, her client suffered constant headaches and epileptic seizures that required medical attention.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Rob Baillie wasn't convinced. He argued Cloake posed a fail-to-appear risk even with strict bail conditions.
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"That would be one [reason to refuse bail]; protection of the community and, lastly, the risk of commission of further offences," he said.
"I will simply say cause is still not shown and there's a very strong prosecution case."
Cloake has been in custody since his arrest on May 29, when Strike Force Radius officers busted through the door of a unit on Petra Avenue in South Tamworth.
There are 26 people now before the court in relation to the alleged drug supply ring. Co-accused Phu Van Lam's case was adjourned to September 25, on Wednesday.
Ms Soars refused Cloake's bail application, ruling he had not given valid reasons for release, and adjourned the case to later in September.