An 18-year-old woman charged with refusing to answer questions about her husband in a coercive interview with the New South Wales crime commission has been granted bail.
On Thursday, magistrate Les Mabbett granted bail to Alo-Bridget Namoa and said the woman would be “effectively placed under house arrest” at her mother’s house.
She was charged with refusing to answer a series of questions before the commission about her husband, who has been charged with terrorism offences.
Mabbett said that while the offences were serious and the strength of the case appeared to be strong, the woman’s age and absence of prior criminal behaviour weighed in favour of granting bail.
“I am satisfied on balance that a grant of bail is appropriate,” he said.
The prosecution put forward a large amount of evidence about the suspected activities of her husband, in order to argue against the granting of bail.
Mabbett stressed the woman had not been charged with any more serious types of criminal offences.
“While some of the material put forward suggests an ongoing criminal investigation ... the accused is charged with none of that.
“Neither is she charged with an indictable offence, she is charged with a summary offence”.
“They are the charges the accused is charged with. Not a terrorism offence”.
The woman will only be allowed to leave her home with her mother or a nominated person. She is not permitted to use a phone or the internet.
A further hearing will be set down later in February.