No bail for meth accused Karratha man David Hursey

A Karratha man with ties to the Rebels bikie gang accused of attempting to bring 46 grams of meth to the Pilbara town has been denied bail. David Hursey, 52, appeared before Karratha Magistrate’s Court last Wednesday via video link from Roebourne Regional Prison charged with possessing a trafficable amount of methylamphetamine and possessing stolen or unlawfully obtained property. Police allege the 52-year-old flew from Karratha to Perth on January 20 before travelling back to Karratha in a Holden ute owned by his co-accused Nickolai Ivanovksi. It is alleged Karratha detectives stopped the car on January 21 and discovered a magnetic container with 46 grams of meth concealed on the car’s undercarriage and $5000 in a cryovac bag inside the ute. Mr Hursey’s lawyer John O’Connor said the accused arranged a lift back to the Pilbara after hearing a cyclone was heading towards the town and needed to secure his yard. Mr O’Connor told the court Mr Hursey had no knowledge of the drugs. Police prosecutor Sergeant Warren Scott said Mr Hursey had links to the Rebels Motorcycle Club and had been recorded at Roebourne Prison making threats over the phone. “There are phone recordings of Mr Hursey saying “go see that other c... see what his story is, see if he is going to sell me down the road,” he said. Sgt Scott said the street value of the meth ranged from $69,000 to $138,000. In denying bail, Magistrate Evan Shackleton said the case against Mr Hursey could not be said to be weak and there were no conditions he could put in place to satisfy bail. “That he took a one-way flight to Perth, got in a car where drugs were found and cash oddly in a cryovac bag, strikes me as odd,” he said. Mr Shackleton said there were concerns the phone call recorded from Roebourne Prison meant Mr Hursey could pose a risk of interfering with witnesses. “The fact he is a member of a motorcycle gang is neither here nor there, I am dealing with the person,” he said. Mr Hursey will next appear before Karratha Magistrate’s Court on May 12.