A 21-year-old man will remain behind bars after he was captured on surveillance allegedly trying to buy a pistol in broad daylight in a Wollongong park.
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Fairy Meadow's Bilal Deniz was denied bail for the second time this week following a hearing in Wollongong Local Court on Thursday.
Deniz, who was on bail for an unrelated matter at the time, and his alleged accomplice Kuytim Bajramovski, 25 from Cringila, were arrested in Stuart Park at 12.25pm on Monday after State Crime Command's Drug and Firearm Squad officers tracked the alleged purchase online.
The court heard Bajramovski, who was granted strict conditional bail on Tuesday, allegedly withdrew $2210 from a nearby ATM for the purposes of purchasing a .22 pistol and gave Deniz the money to carry out the transaction.
[Deniz] was shown the firearm, he had the cash and he was arrested before the firearm was handed over.
- Police prosecutor Sergeant Tanya Pavlin
Police prosecutor Sergeant Tanya Pavlin opposed Deniz's application for bail on Thursday saying the case against him was "strong" as the police operation to thwart the transaction was captured on surveillance via PolAir and a tactical operation unit.
"[Deniz] was shown the firearm, he had the cash and he was arrested before the firearm was handed over," she said. "That was captured on surveillance."
Police will allege Deniz was the "active purchaser".
However, defence lawyer Pawel Kulisiewicz said his client "knows nothing about the firearm [and] did not facilitate the transaction".
"He handed over cash at the bequest of someone else," he said. "My client's role was merely to facilitate something for someone else.
"Police raided my client's house that evening and found nothing that suggests criminal activity. A full time jail sentence is not likely."
Sgt Pavlin said Deniz faced up to 14 years in jail if convicted of the crime.
"Due to the seriousness of the offence, if convicted the court will consider a lengthy custodial sentence," she said.
Sgt Palvin opposed bail arguing police were concerned Deniz would commit a further offence and endanger the safety of the community if released.
Mr Kulisiewicz said his client could abide by strict bail conditions akin to home detention, including reporting seven days, only having one mobile phone, adhering to a curfew and not contacting the co-accused.
However, Magistrate Michael Stoddart refused to release Deniz from custody.
Deniz was on strict Supreme Court bail for 10 months for demanding property with menaces when the alleged firearms offence occurred.
Deniz and his brother Onur allegedly demanded $1000 from a Brazilian black belt instructor at a Wollongong martial arts gym and a fight turned ugly in October last year.
Police allege, during the altercation, Deniz or his brother said, "why don't I get a gun and kill him now".
Deniz's will be back in Wollongong Local Court for the firearms offence on January 20.