An accused bank robber allegedly offered undercover cops $4000 to kidnap a key witness – his own half-brother – so he could slit his throat, a court has heard.
Chief court reporter Sean Fewster explains the difference between South Australia’s Magistrates Court, District Court, Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.
Thomas Clifford Fuller, 38, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court last week to seek release on bail after his December arrest for the October 2013 Barmera BankSA holdup and allegedly conspiring to kill his half brother.
Sergeant Kevin Dollard, prosecuting, opposed Mr Fuller’s release on bail in any form.
He said evidence in the case included transcripts from conversations with two undercover operatives who gained Mr Fuller’s trust during a six-month period prior to his arrest.
“During those encounters towards the end of December, 2022, … the accused had made admissions with respect of the bank robbery,” he said.
“He also enlisted the help of the two undercover operatives to kidnap his brother and bring him to him for a payment of $4000 … with a plan he was then going to cut his throat and bury him under a tree.”
The half-brother is not accused of wrongdoing.
CCTV images of a man wanted over a holdup at the Barmera Bank SA branch on October 8, 2013. Picture: Crime Stoppers.
Sergeant Dollard said Mr Fuller had earlier confessed to his half brother about the Barmera BankSA holdup, including “facts about that robbery that could only be known by the person who committed the crime”.
“There was information about that has been provided to the brother that was never released to the public in relation to the crime,” he said.
“We don’t think bail is desirable in any event based on the seriousness of the offending.”
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He said police also found a firearm at the man’s home which was in the midst of being converted to be capable of firing .22 calibre rounds – but was not yet capable of doing so.
Sergeant Dollard said Fuller had moved to Queensland shortly after the bank holdup, where he had spent time in custody for unrelated offending including assault and assaulting police.
He is yet to enter pleas to charges of conspiring to murder, committing theft using force and aggravated possession of a restricted firearm mechanism.
Mr Fuller’s defence lawyer asked his client be released on “compassionate grounds” to help his terminally ill mother.
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He asked he be bailed to live with a friend where he could be electronically monitored.
He said the prosecution case relied on the “so-called admissions” of Mr Fuller’s half brother and told the court there were “peculiarities” about the undercover operation.
Magistrate Simon Smart refused release on bail due to the gravity of the allegations and the risk of interference with witnesses.
Fuller is due back in court this week.