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Former NSW Labor minister Eddie Obeid is in jail at Sydney’s Silverwater prison. Picture: AAP.
CORRUPT former NSW minister Eddie Obeid won’t be home for Christmas after losing his bid for bail pending his conviction appeal which may be heard in March.
The NSW Court of Criminal Appeal on Tuesday found that his proposed grounds and other matters did not amount to “special or exceptional†circumstances to warrant bail being granted.
The 73-year-old former Labor powerbroker was jailed for at least three years last Thursday after being found guilty of misconduct in public office in 2007.
The Appeal Court would be able to hear the challenge on March 15, said Chief Justice Tom Bathurst, sitting with Justice Clifton Hoeben and Robert Allan Hulme.
“So far as matters raised in the grounds of appeal, they could have been raised before the trial judge and no direct explanation has been given as to the reason why that did not happen,†he said.
But he said the proposed grounds were arguable, although not sufficiently strong to warrant bail being granted before the hearing.
Obeid, who was wearing prison greens during his appearance from via a camera link from Silverwater jail, in western Sydney, showed no outward response to the decision.