Derry Magistrate's Court has heard that an Italian father offering to put up a surety of £100,000 so his son could return to Italy while on bail was willing 'to put his money and his reputation on the line'.

Gian Marcia Merlonghi, 30, whose address was given as Lower Main Street in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, was applying to have his court imposed bail conditions varied to allow him to return to his native Italy.

He is charged with possessing class A drugs, possessing with intent to supply and with being concerned in supplying class A drugs.

He faces three similar charges in relation to class B drugs and is alleged to have committed the six offences in Derry on March 18 of this year.

During the court sitting on Monday a bail variation application was adjourned to ascertain if there would be any immigration problems in the defendant returning here for his case to be dealt with.

On Wednesday, the court heard that a letter had been received from an employee of the Home Office who said that the situation was unclear as to the defendant's immigration status should he leave the jurisdiction.

Defence solicitor Derwin Harvey said his client had come here and was permitted to stay for six months without any visa. He said that had expired but if the defendant left and returned through Dublin he could return to the North over 'the soft border.' The solicitor said that as far as he was concerned there were 'no barriers to re-entry' for the defendant.

He added that the defendant's father had brought a cash surety of £100,000 and he had not seen a surety of this size in any court.

District Judge Suzanne Rice said the letter from the Home Office 'does not go anywhere near the assurances' she was seeking when she adjourned the case on Monday.

She said she was not satisfied that if she varied the defendant's bail he would be able to return to this jurisdiction.

She refused the application to allow Merlonghi to leave the jurisdiction and the case was adjourned until September 23.