Man, 80, faces court accused of supplying 'whale drugs'

An 80-year-old man accused of links to an illegal assisted dying business has sought to view police evidence alleging he trafficked whale euthanasia drugs alongside his son.

Ian George Taylor, of Ashmore, on Friday faced Southport Magistrates Court on Queensland's Gold Coast charged with once count each of possessing and trafficking drugs.

Police allege Taylor trafficked animal euthanasia drugs on April 5, less than a week before his son, Brett Daniel Taylor, 53, allegedly helped a quadriplegic man to take his own life.

The Taylors and Southport woman Elaine Arch-Rowe, 81, were charged on September 15 following an investigation into the death of 43-year-old David Llewellyn Bedford at Hope Island on April 11.

The trio allegedly used a charity for humanely killing beached whales and dolphins to obtain, and sell veterinary drugs to people seeking to end their lives.

Ian Taylor's solicitor Jonathan Nyst told reporters his client would not be making comment following a brief court appearance,

"We're at the start of what I anticipate to be a lengthy and complex prosecution proceeding," Mr Nyst said.

"Mr Taylor has not been afforded the opportunity to see any evidence against him, if there is anything, so it would be inappropriate for him to comment."

Mr Nyst had earlier sought a court direction from magistrate Veena Goverdhan to compel police to provide a copy of their brief of evidence by a certain date.

"I am unable to do a direction from this court, unfortunately," Ms Goverdhan said.

She ordered Taylor's matter to return to court on October 21 for a committal mention and renewed his bail.

Police in July launched an investigation into Mr Bedford's death in response to correspondence from the Coroner's Office.

Toxicology results from a post-mortem confirmed Bedford died from acute toxicity from a veterinary euthanasia drug.

Mr Bedford was a former chef who was left paralysed by a car crash in August 2022, according to his previous submission to a Queensland parliamentary inquiry into voluntary assisted dying in 2020.

Taylor is also accused of trafficking drugs in September.when his son and Arch-Rowe allegedly attempted to aid an undercover police operative to kill themselves.

Mr Nyst said Taylor was "not in perfect health" and declined to say whether he would fight the charges.

"We are not going to litigate this matter on the sidewalk," Mr Nyst said.

Taylor's son Brett remains in custody following a court mention of his charges on Thursday last week.

Police are investigating whether Brett Taylor was involved in 20 other unlawful assisted suicides.

The organisation set up by Brett Taylor, Cetacean Compassion Australia Ltd, has since had its charity status revoked by federal authorities.

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