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On the charge: Danny Wicks of the Newcastle Knights - Source: Getty Images
The NRL career of promising young Newcastle Knights player Danny
Wicks is in tatters after he was among four people charged over a
northern NSW drug syndicate.
In the latest off-field scandal to rock rugby league, Wicks faces
eight counts of supplying and possessing illegal drugs, including
ecstasy and amphetamines.
During the 24-year-old's appearance in Newcastle Local Court on
Wednesday, his lawyer Mark Hanlon said Wicks intended to plead not
guilty to the charges.
Magistrate Sharon Holdsworth granted Wicks bail, despite police
prosecutor Jillian Kelton submitting he was a "flight
risk".
However, late on Wednesday, Wicks still faced the prospect of a
night behind bars after failing to come up with a $30,000
surety.
Outside court, Mr Hanlon said Wicks was holding up well and was
delighted to have been granted bail.
"He's got bail. We're just waiting for the money. Hopefully, that
should be here by this afternoon, but at this hour it may not be,"
he told reporters.
"I hope to see him on Friday for more instructions and at this
stage he is going to fight the charges."
The Newcastle Knights have stood Wicks down indefinitely as a
result of the charges.
Along with three other people, he was arrested on Wednesday
morning.
He is charged with six counts of supplying prohibited drugs and two
counts of possessing a prohibited drug.
In opposing bail, the prosecutor said police had recordings of
coded phone conversations and had conducted surveillance between
August and November this year.
"We believe the crown case is a strong one," Ms Kelton told the
court.
However, Mr Hanlon successfully argued his client's high-profile in
the community negated any chance of fleeing.
The magistrate imposed bail conditions including that Wicks
surrender his passport and report daily to Charlestown police
station.
He has also been ordered not to contact his three co-accused or
former flatmate and Knights teammate Chris Houston, who is expected
to be called as witness in the case.
The matter was adjourned to the same court for mention on February
3.
Earlier, police said search warrants had been executed at an
address in Newcastle and two homes in Grafton, on the NSW north
coast, on Wednesday.
As well as Wicks, police arrested a 29-year-old man from Newcastle,
and a 22-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman at separate addresses
in Grafton.
Police said the arrests flowed from a joint operation targeting the
supply of amphetamine, cocaine and ecstasy in the Clarence Valley
on the NSW north coast.
Wicks, a prop and second rower who made his NRL debut for the St
George-Illawarra Dragons in 2006, signed with Newcastle in 2007 and
is contracted to the club until the end of 2012.
Newcastle chief executive Steve Burraston says the club's
suspension takes effect immediately.
This appears to mean Wicks will not play for the club until the
case has been decided by the courts, which could take more than a
year.
"These allegations are of the most serious nature and we are
treating them accordingly," Mr Burraston said in a statement before
Wicks' court appearance.
"Everyone at the club is aware of our values and policies and is
aware of how important they are to our relationship with all
stakeholders."
The swift action was necessary to protect the reputation of the
club and its sponsors, he said.
