Woman denied bail over people smuggling charge

Jessica Beckett was arrested by WA Police. (Supplied: AFP) Queensland woman Jessica Beckett told Carnarvon Magistrates Court she was paid $20,000 to sail a yacht to Indonesia from Exmouth. An alleged Queensland fugitive was on board when WA Police intercepted the yacht in early June. Ms Beckett, along with two other people charged for the related incident, will reappear in court in July. Link copiedShareShare articleThe lawyer for a Queensland woman says she did not know a $20,000 payment she received to sail a yacht to Indonesia was part of a plot to smuggle a fugitive bikie out of the country. Queensland woman Jessica Beckett faced court in Carnarvon, in Western Australia's remote Gascoyne, today over her alleged role in the plan to help wanted bikie Dylan Cvek flee Australia via sea. She was one of three people allegedly on board a luxury yacht, alongside Mr Cvek and fellow Queenslander Cass Williams, when it was stopped by police about 50km off Exmouth on June 1. A fourth alleged conspirator, NSW woman Fatma Skaf, was arrested driving between Exmouth and Karratha later that day. Mr Cvek has since been extradited to Queensland to face a number of charges. Prosecutor Shaz Naidu said Ms Beckett had travelled from New South Wales to Exmouth to be a part of a sophisticated plan to smuggle Mr Cvek to Indonesia. WA police intercepted a luxury yacht off the coast of Exmouth and subsequently arrested three people. (Supplied: AFP) Ms Naidu said Ms Beckett's knowing participation in the plan meant she should be refused bail. The prosecution said it had obtained evidence of Ms Beckett discussing smuggling, a safe house and the dumping of a phone in the ocean. Ms Naidu told the court Ms Beckett also gave Mr Cvek a tour of the yacht and showed him how things worked. Carnarvon Magistrate Robert Young has denied the 45-year-old bail, remanding her in custody until her appearance in a Perth court next month. Defence lawyer Asha Morrow said her client, who has experience on prawn trawlers, thought she was being paid to deliver a yacht to Indonesia and did not believe she was smuggling Mr Cvek. Ms Morrow said it was common practice in the boating world, and her client was excited to take the opportunity for paid travel expenses and $20,000. WA Police coordinated an arrest of three people off the coast of Exmouth. (Supplied: AFP) She said much of the audio obtained by the prosecution was inaudible, and that it was common practice for people in the boating world to tell exaggerated stories at sea. Ms Beckett requested bail to look after her 69-year-old mother who has stage four metastatic lung cancer. Ms Morrow said Ms Beckett was the only person able to care for her mother, who resided in Queensland. Magistrate Young said he recognised it was a difficult time for Ms Beckett's family, but granting bail would be inappropriate due to the seriousness of the charge. Ms Beckett and co-accused Cass Willams will appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on July 10. Ms Skaf appeared before Karratha Magistrates Court today for a bail application variation and will also face Perth Magistrates Court on the same day. Copy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesThere are indications Trump's deal will only empower IranLAnalysis by Laura Tingle

Woman denied bail over people smuggling charge

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