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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National

Swansea siege: parolee Rory Adams refused bail over police standoff

OUT on parole and back on the police radar, Rory Adams allegedly held police at bay for 45 hours during a tense stand-off at Swansea last week.

Mr Adams, 33, remains behind bars after he was on Saturday morning refused bail in Newcastle Bail Court, a day after he finally emerged from the house in Lake Road.

He did not enter any pleas to 35 charges, including using an offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention, numerous firearm offences and supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.

He is due to next appear in Belmont Local Court on Monday.

According to police, officers from the Hunter Region Enforcement Squad went to the home in Swansea about 3pm on Wednesday and attempted to speak to Mr Adams.

Instead, he allegedly went into the house and refused to leave, barricading himself inside and triggering an exhausting siege that lasted until 12.10pm on Friday.

Police established a perimeter, closed nearby streets and called in the Bearcat armoured police vehicle, heavily armed police and negotiators.

Eventually, after the nearly two-day siege, Mr Adams emerged and police were able to search the home, allegedly uncovering eight firearms, including a sawn-off rifle, a shotgun, a lever action rifle and five pistols.

Police shortly before the end of the Swansea siege on Friday. Picture by Simone De Peak
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil
Picture by Marina Neil

He was taken to Belmont police station and charged with 35 offences, including dozens of firearm, ammunition and weapon offences.

Mr Adams' arrest was a relief for residents in Lake Road and the surrounding streets, who had spent the past few days stuck inside and hopeful of a peaceful resolution.

Lake Road resident Mary Dale and her husband have been watching the siege unfold from their loungeroom window.

"[Wednesday] afternoon, about 4pm we were outside and then police told us to go in and don't come back out," Mrs Dale said on Thursday.

The couple told the Herald they felt like they were experiencing COVID lockdown all over again.

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