Samuel Donald Ford: Bail refused again for Mt Barker dad allegedly caught with 109g of meth worth $50,000

A Mt Barker man accused of hiding 109g of methamphetamine in a battery pack has claimed he had a seizure when he was arrested in December while appearing for his second bail application, which was refused, with police revealing further evidence had been recovered at his address. Samuel Donald Ford, 29, appeared in Albany Magistrates court via video link from Albany Regional Prison on Thursday on eight charges relating to drug possession, trespass and fraud. Mr Ford is alleged to have been caught by police attempting to hide 109g of methamphetamine in a power tool battery pack in Woogenellup on December 21. His lawyer, Bruno Illari, made a bail application on the basis Mr Ford was not represented in his December 24 Northbridge Magistrates Court appearance. Mr Illari also said Mr Ford could not hear the prosecutor or magistrate clearly through the video link, that Mr Ford has suffered several seizures resulting in hospitalisation and now needs to see a specialist in Perth, and that he failed to mention his work. “The body-worn camera shows I had a seizure when I was arrested,” Mr Ford said. Mr Illari said Mr Ford did not manage to adequately present a case for bail during his December appearance, conceding that Mr Ford should not have made a bail application but he was eager to spend Christmas with his eight-year-old daughter. Magistrate Erin O’Donnell disagreed, stating Mr Ford had put his bail case together very well and was “quite comprehensive”. During his Thursday appearance, Mr Ford said he intended to relocate to Katanning for work and that he intended to plead not guilty. Police prosecutor Sgt Matt Hartfield opposed the bail application stating legal advice was offered to Mr Ford in his December appearance but that he had elected to self-represent, and bail had been refused on “appropriate grounds”. Sgt Hartfield revealed that since the December appearance, the previously missing part of the battery pack had been located at Mr Ford’s house. Ms O’Donnell accepted that the matter of Mr Ford’s seizures was new information and accepted that he did not mention his employment, but said that in her view his original bail application was “adequate” and refused the new bail application. Mr Ford said that he intended to apply for a supreme court bail application, to which Ms O’Donnell responded that she was “glad” he knew what his options were. Mr Ford is next expected to appear in court on March 28 for committal mention.