A Batemans Bay couple appeared in court yesterday charged over the discovery of an alleged amphetamines factory in Bingie last April.

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The accused - 46-year-old Adrian Stephen Farquhar and 23-year-old Moleta Lee Wills - were charged with participating in illegal activities at the alleged drug manufacturing lab in Kelly Road, Bingie.

Both faced charges of supplying and manufacturing a large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs.

Mr Farquhar did not apply for bail while his co-accused and de facto Ms Wills did. Ms Wills’ barrister, Ken Archer, argued that the time taken to charge his client weakened the prosecution case against her.

Police allege Ms Wills was one of three people discovered on the Bingie property as part of Task Force Barree on April 7. The two others were men from Penrith and Canberra.

Police allegedly discovered more than 100 litres of chemicals and equipment used for the extraction of pseudoephedrine from cold and flu tablets on the property.

It is also alleged that two woks were discovered at the scene. One was located under Ms Wills’ bed, while another was allegedly “cooking” chemicals outside in a courtyard.

Police alleged they could smell the chemicals cooking when they arrived at the home.

It is also alleged they found chemical residue on a barbecue at the back of the Bingie property and Mr Farquhar’s fingerprint on a container of thinner located beside it.

Details emerged of Ms Wills’ relationship with Mr Farquhar, including her work at his Batemans Bay business.

After a short adjournment Magistrate Chris Bone said the good character and community links of the accused would not be enough to gain bail, but he could find no initial link between her and the manufacture, possession or supply she had been charged with. The closest link was her proximity to the cooking wok of chemicals at the time, but due to nobody seeing her play any role in the enterprise, and her making no confession, the prosecution needed something more than her mere presence at the site.