Man denied bail after drugs allegedly seized from vehicle in prison car park

Tue 7 Jul 2026 at 11:47am

Tue 7 Jul 2026 at 11:47am

In short:

Wayne Douglas Carnell has been denied bail after police allegedly found 100 grams of methamphetamine in his vehicle, which was searched in a prison car park on Sunday.

Police also searched his Spalding home where they allegedly found a loaded firearm, more drugs and drug paraphernalia.

What's next?

He was remanded in custody and will appear in court in Adelaide in November for a preliminary brief and charge determination.

A 40-year-old Spalding man has been denied bail after drugs were allegedly found in his car outside of a low-security prison in the Riverland.

Wayne Douglas Carnell appeared via video link in the Berri Magistrates Court yesterday charged with a number of drug and firearm offences.

Police searched Mr Carnell's vehicle in the Cadell Training Centre car park about 3pm on Sunday and allegedly found 100 grams of methamphetamine inside a Tupperware container, hidden under the glove box compartment.

His Spalding home was searched by police on Sunday afternoon, where they allegedly uncovered a loaded .22 calibre rifle, ammunition, drugs including GHB, MDMA, more methamphetamine, prescription items and drug paraphernalia.

Magistrate Melanie Burton said the combination of alleged drug trafficking and firearm without licence charges meant Mr Carnell was a prescribed applicant.

"[He] needs to be able to establish that special circumstances exist to be eligible for release on bail," she said.

The magistrate said she did not think his situation amounted to special circumstances to consider a bail application as a prescribed applicant.

"I don't consider that I have power to further consider the application on the merit, so bail is refused," she said.

"The allegations, particularly in relation to the firearm, are serious."

The prosecution said in 2015 Mr Carnell was sentenced in the District Court to nine years and six months' imprisonment for a series of deception offences and served about five years on a non-parole period.

The defence told the court Mr Carnell worked full-time as a wind turbine technician and a fitter in the mines on his days off and would lose his home if he went into custody.

They said the charges were denied and given there were only two tablets of MDMA found during the search, the "trafficking [allegation] certainly may not get up on that one".

Ms Burton said because the matter was a major indictable matter, there would be some delay to a trial.

Mr Carnell was remanded in custody and will appear in court in Adelaide in November for a preliminary brief and charge determination.