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| Wife of Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis has bail revoked | Wife of Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis has bail revoked |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The partner of Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis has been taken into custody after a magistrate found she posed an “unacceptable risk” to the community and ordered her bail on a murder charge be revoked. | The partner of Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis has been taken into custody after a magistrate found she posed an “unacceptable risk” to the community and ordered her bail on a murder charge be revoked. |
| The New South Wales local court chief magistrate, Graeme Henson, said he was “unconvinced” that the magistrate who granted Amirah Droudis bail in December 2013 was aware she was awaiting sentencing at time over her involvement in a scheme by Monis to send letters to the families of deceased Australian soldiers. | |
| The brief of evidence against Droudis had also swelled to 18,000 pages and become “stronger” since her last bail hearing, Henson said. | The brief of evidence against Droudis had also swelled to 18,000 pages and become “stronger” since her last bail hearing, Henson said. |
| He added that fresh video evidence before the court was not directly relevant to the bail review, but appeared to show the 35-year-old “endorses acts of violence” and held views that were “antithetical to the community”. | He added that fresh video evidence before the court was not directly relevant to the bail review, but appeared to show the 35-year-old “endorses acts of violence” and held views that were “antithetical to the community”. |
| “I find there is an unacceptable risk that cannot be properly mitigated by a further extension of bail,” he told Sydney’s Downing Centre local court. | “I find there is an unacceptable risk that cannot be properly mitigated by a further extension of bail,” he told Sydney’s Downing Centre local court. |
| Droudis, from Belmore, is charged with the murder of 33-year-old Noleen Hayson Pal, who was stabbed and set alight in the stairwell of an apartment complex in western Sydney in April 2013. | Droudis, from Belmore, is charged with the murder of 33-year-old Noleen Hayson Pal, who was stabbed and set alight in the stairwell of an apartment complex in western Sydney in April 2013. |
| Monis, who was killed by police last week after a 16-hour siege in a Martin Place cafe, had been charged as an accessory to the murder of Pal, who was his former wife and the mother of two of his children. | Monis, who was killed by police last week after a 16-hour siege in a Martin Place cafe, had been charged as an accessory to the murder of Pal, who was his former wife and the mother of two of his children. |
| Both he and Droudis were granted bail 12 months ago, a magistrate describing the case against the pair as “inherently weak”. | Both he and Droudis were granted bail 12 months ago, a magistrate describing the case against the pair as “inherently weak”. |
| However, Henson said on Monday the judge in that hearing was at a “significant disadvantage”, because police evidence against the pair had been incomplete, and remained so. | However, Henson said on Monday the judge in that hearing was at a “significant disadvantage”, because police evidence against the pair had been incomplete, and remained so. |
| He stressed that the allegations against Droudis were unproven and that the case against her was “in large part circumstantial”. He also repeated earlier warnings to the media about “inflaming public views through the prism of ignorance” and denying Droudis a fair trial. | He stressed that the allegations against Droudis were unproven and that the case against her was “in large part circumstantial”. He also repeated earlier warnings to the media about “inflaming public views through the prism of ignorance” and denying Droudis a fair trial. |
| Earlier, the deputy director of public prosecutions, John Pickering SC, argued that the new video evidence – details of which cannot be reported for legal reasons – appeared to bolster the Crown’s case that Droudis acted “consistently in the wishes and behest of Mr Monis”. | |
| Police will allege that Droudis plotted with Monis to murder Pal and make it look like a botched robbery. The defence said the video evidence was “frivolous”. | Police will allege that Droudis plotted with Monis to murder Pal and make it look like a botched robbery. The defence said the video evidence was “frivolous”. |
| Droudis sat in the front row of the court wearing the same woollen white cap in which she was pictured last week as police raided her home. She was steely and impassive as the decision was announced. Officers surrounded her after the judge left and Droudis handed her belongings to her step-brother. | Droudis sat in the front row of the court wearing the same woollen white cap in which she was pictured last week as police raided her home. She was steely and impassive as the decision was announced. Officers surrounded her after the judge left and Droudis handed her belongings to her step-brother. |
| The state premier, Mike Baird, said he welcomed the decision. “The NSW Government expects community safety to be front and centre of all bail decisions and that is why the Attorney General expressed concern and requested a review of the case,” he said. | The state premier, Mike Baird, said he welcomed the decision. “The NSW Government expects community safety to be front and centre of all bail decisions and that is why the Attorney General expressed concern and requested a review of the case,” he said. |
| The ruling was made under the reformed bail regime that came into effect in May 2013, which removed the presumption against bail for a range of serious offences. A new regime, requiring the accused to “show cause” as to why they should be granted bail, comes into effect on January 28. | The ruling was made under the reformed bail regime that came into effect in May 2013, which removed the presumption against bail for a range of serious offences. A new regime, requiring the accused to “show cause” as to why they should be granted bail, comes into effect on January 28. |
| Droudis was taken to the Silverwater Remand Centre, and is scheduled to appear before the Penrith local court in February. | Droudis was taken to the Silverwater Remand Centre, and is scheduled to appear before the Penrith local court in February. |