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**'Ring Gids up and tell him to start searching'**
by Stephen Ryan
SMH - November 27, 2010
FORMER Newcastle Knight Chris Houston could have been talking about anything including dietary supplements or prostitutes when he discussed ''lollies'', ''chippies'' and ''supps'' during recorded telephone conversations, his barrister told Newcastle Local Court yesterday.
Defence barrister Simon Harben, SC, cross-examined a detective who made an opinion statement alleging Houston was negotiating drug deals when he was recorded talking to former teammate Danny Wicks and others between August and December last year.
Houston has not entered pleas to four counts of supplying drugs.
Advertisement: Story continues below Harben suggested to the detective that ''chippies'' was an old term for prostitutes and that Houston, in another conversation, could have been trying to source dietary supplements when he was recorded getting a price of ''150 at 14''.
The detective maintained it was his opinion that ''chippies'' meant ecstasy and that ''150 at 14'' meant 150 tablets at $14 each.
Included in the conversations was an exchange between Houston and Wicks via telephone at 3.38am on September 13, 2009, just hours after the Knights were knocked out of the 2009 premiership.
Houston: ''What about something local then. Low key, under you. What about your old roomy. Anything.''
Wicks: ''I don't know. I'll give them a call.''
Houston: ''Let us know. Ring 'em now and let us know.''
Wicks: ''Ring Gids up and tell him to start searching.''
Houston: ''Yeah, well I want them ASAP.''
Wicks: ''Oh well, I'm well aware of that mate. I'm f–-ing infuriated.''
Later in the same conversation, Wicks said: ''Well what about that Deano c---.''
Houston: ''I don't know his number.''
Wicks: ''Yeah, that's what I'm saying, ring Gids.''
Houston: ''All right. Speak to you soon.''
Harben suggested to the detective that his interpretation of the conversations was not objective because the detective carried out surveillance and was involved in the arrest of Wicks, who has since pleaded guilty to supplying drugs.
The detective maintained that he was not heavily involved in the investigation and his opinions were based on his many years working undercover and in drug operations.
by Stephen Ryan
SMH - November 27, 2010
FORMER Newcastle Knight Chris Houston could have been talking about anything including dietary supplements or prostitutes when he discussed ''lollies'', ''chippies'' and ''supps'' during recorded telephone conversations, his barrister told Newcastle Local Court yesterday.
Defence barrister Simon Harben, SC, cross-examined a detective who made an opinion statement alleging Houston was negotiating drug deals when he was recorded talking to former teammate Danny Wicks and others between August and December last year.
Houston has not entered pleas to four counts of supplying drugs.
Advertisement: Story continues below Harben suggested to the detective that ''chippies'' was an old term for prostitutes and that Houston, in another conversation, could have been trying to source dietary supplements when he was recorded getting a price of ''150 at 14''.
The detective maintained it was his opinion that ''chippies'' meant ecstasy and that ''150 at 14'' meant 150 tablets at $14 each.
Included in the conversations was an exchange between Houston and Wicks via telephone at 3.38am on September 13, 2009, just hours after the Knights were knocked out of the 2009 premiership.
Houston: ''What about something local then. Low key, under you. What about your old roomy. Anything.''
Wicks: ''I don't know. I'll give them a call.''
Houston: ''Let us know. Ring 'em now and let us know.''
Wicks: ''Ring Gids up and tell him to start searching.''
Houston: ''Yeah, well I want them ASAP.''
Wicks: ''Oh well, I'm well aware of that mate. I'm f–-ing infuriated.''
Later in the same conversation, Wicks said: ''Well what about that Deano c---.''
Houston: ''I don't know his number.''
Wicks: ''Yeah, that's what I'm saying, ring Gids.''
Houston: ''All right. Speak to you soon.''
Harben suggested to the detective that his interpretation of the conversations was not objective because the detective carried out surveillance and was involved in the arrest of Wicks, who has since pleaded guilty to supplying drugs.
The detective maintained that he was not heavily involved in the investigation and his opinions were based on his many years working undercover and in drug operations.
