THE alleged victim of a home invasion in Maxwell Avenue, where three men broke down the door looking for drugs and cash, was arrested five days later and charged with supplying methamphetamines.
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But according to his solicitor Paul Johnson, he is a “trustworthy guy”.
The alleged robbery occurred on Wednesday, August 28, and by September 2 police had charged Christopher James Kaufman with six drug offences involving cannabis and methamphetamines, including two counts of supply.
Mr Johnson argued in Orange Local Court on Thursday the 43-year-old should be granted bail and he had a right to liberty because he had not pleaded guilty to the offences.
“Will he turn up to court? Yes, Your Honour there is nothing in his record where he has failed to answer bail if called upon,” he said.
“In our humanity we take people at their best ... if this man gets himself on the straight and narrow there is no guarantee he will stay that way, but there is no guarantee he won’t either.”
Mr Johnson said his client wanted to go to rehabilitation at a clinic in the Blue Mountains and needed to be on bail to do so.
He had been in the program previously and had completed a course.
“There is a question mark over the word successfully ... Is he a risk? Maybe, but can that risk be mitigated? Obviously my answer is yes,” Mr Johnson said.
Sergeant Jason Murdock argued Kaufman was a danger to the community because he had committed similar offences and had served jail time for those offences.
“There is a risk if he is released he will commit further offences,” he said.
The magistrate, Terry Lucas, granted Kaufman bail, but he must report to police daily and has a 7pm to 7am curfew.
