A BROKEN Hill man charged with multiple alleged offences related to the supply of prohibited substances was back in court for a committal hearing on Tuesday, resulting in three out of the 15 charges he was facing being withdrawn, and his case passed on to a higher court.
Jake Heffernan’s case was adjourned last week following Magistrate Jacqueline Trad’s approval the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions’ request for an extra week to finalise the brief.
The Broken Hill local, who is accused of allegedly growing marijuana in the house where his three children lived, is also facing other drug related charges, along with one count of owning an unauthorised pistol, and one count of supplying a prohibited drug at a commercial quantity.
On Tuesday the prosecutor gave Mr Heffernan’s lawyer the charges, confirming three claims had been withdrawn and the plan for the case was to proceed to the district court.
The three dismissed charges include supply of a prohibited drug greater than or equalling a commercial quantity, supply of a prohibited drug greater than an indictable amount, and knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime.
Mr Heffernan appeared in-person at the Broken Hill Court, with Ms Trad addressing him directly and outlining the next steps following the hearing.
The magistrate said Mr Heffernan, his defence council, and the prosecutor would have a case conference, which is confidential and passed onto the District Court judge handling the case.
A case conference usually happens after the issue is sent up to a higher court, and allows the defence and prosecution to discuss the case as a whole, focus on evidence and investigate plea options.
Following the case conference and hearing in the district court, it’ll be decided if the charges will be tested in a trial.
The District Court hearing is adjourned until Tuesday, April 22, with Mr Heffernan’s bail to continue.
