Casella, who is on bail after he was charged with knowingly taking part in the cultivation of a commercial amount of a prohibited plant and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity, wanted his bail conditions changed to allow him to travel interstate for work.

His bail conditions involve reporting to the Griffith police officer in charge every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. 

In Griffith Local Court magistrate Shane McAnulty heard Casella, a former director of Casella Family Brands, has been working as farm manager for the family owned company since 2004.

The role involves regular interstate travel to oversee processes and sign off on expenses.

Casella told the court it was crucial for him to be able to travel interstate on an ad hoc basis, especially in the warmer months of the year.

“As we’re progressing into the hotter period, equipment starts to fail - irrigation, for example. Heat can quickly devastate a crop,” Casella said.

“Equipment failure needs to be rectified quickly, there and then.”

Casella said his role was “critical” due to his specialist skills.

He pleaded with the magistrate to change his bail reporting conditions.

Casella said while a trip to South Australia or Victoria could be done within

48 hours “if anything would go wrong (and I wasn’t back in time to report to police) I would be in big trouble”.

But Mr McAnulty said there was “no actual need” for Casella to travel to vineyards interstate.

The court heard Casella had been under police surveillance, with listening devices allowing them to listen to his telephone conversations.

Mr McAnulty denied Casella’s bid to change his conditions.

Casella now has to report to Griffith police station between 8am and 8pm every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and he is not allowed to leave the jurisdiction, except to attend court matters in Victoria.

“You go to Victoria to go to court and to court alone,” Mr McAnulty said.

In handing down his ruling, Mr McAnulty said he had “grave reservations” and held “great concerns” Casella may not return from one of his interstate trips.

“The evidence given raises more questions than it gives answers,” Mr McAnulty said.

Outside court, Casella said he was disappointed with the outcome.

“It’s not good, it’s not the result we wanted,” Casella said.

The 54-year-old said he would now have to find someone to replace him on important business trips.

“It’s never going to be the same though,” Casella said.

He said he was worried the work would not be done with the “same amount of care and effort”.

“It’s disappointing that the court didn’t realise the impact this decision has on my business,” Casella said.