Feb 16 - Eight Months In Prison For Cannabis Dealer
A 50-year-old man will serve eight months in prison for the possession with intent to supply 1.5kg of cannabis resin which was found in his home.
John Chidgey, of St Joseph's Estate, was arrested in September last year following a search warrant, and was charged with one count of possession with intent to supply 1.5kg of cannabis resin, one count of possession of cannabis resin, one count of possession of 2g of MDMA, one count of possession of 21g of amphetamines, and one count of possession of 30g of herbal cannabis.
Chidgey entered an early guilty plea at the Magistrates’ Court last month, and was sentenced at the Supreme Court this morning.
The Crown heard the defendant purchased the drugs at a cheaper price with two others, with the intent to supply the drugs within their circle of friends.
Appearing for her client, Laura Phillips said Chidgey was truly remorseful. She explained that her client was in limbo after having lost his job last year, and didn't intend to profit from selling the drugs.
While sentencing, Puisne Judge Karen Ramagge Prescott said that although Chidgey's role in the supply of drugs was a lesser one, there was still an awareness of what he was doing when he purchased the drugs at a cheaper price. She said this was still "proliferating drugs within society, albeit within a circle of friends".
Ms. Justice Ramagge Prescott said there was a high risk of re-offending, and the aggravating factor in this case was that three of Chidgey's children were present in the house where the drugs were stored.
She sentenced him to one year in prison for the possession with intent to supply 1.5kg of cannabis resin, but reduced this to eight months for the early guilty plea. There was no separate penalty for the other charges, and she ordered that the drugs be destroyed.
Karl Tonna appeared for the Crown.
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