Tradie’s drug life

A YOUNG tradie was exposed as a drug dealer after a police operation caught him redhanded outside a popular Geelong nightspot.

Connor McCurry, 20, of Leopold, was lining up outside Bloom nightclub on September 6 last year when a police sniffer dog detected drugs on him.

McCurry immediately confessed to having illicit drugs and produced five small deal bags containing a total of 10 MDMA capsules.

The apprentice electrician had $162 cash in his wallet, which he admitted was made from selling drugs at a party before heading to the Moorabool St nightclub.

The Geelong Magistrates’ Court heard police later viewed McCurry’s phone and found further evidence of drug dealing that dated back several months.

While being interviewed by police, he said he was selling the MDMA caps for $20 each and started dealing after mixing with negative influences.

“I was caught up with the wrong crowd,” he told officers.

McCurry, who was supported in court by family, pleaded guilty yesterday to drug trafficking and possession.

Defence lawyer Stephanie Mawby said while it was “incredibly serious” offending, her client had not previously been in trouble with the law.

Ms Mawby said McCurry deserved some credit for being co-operative with police.

“He knew he had done the wrong thing,” she said.

The court heard McCurry was living in shared accommodation at the time and was exposed to the drug and nightclub scene, while also battling his own addiction issues.

Ms Mawby said he had since changed his phone number and social media accounts in a bid to steer clear of his former peers.

“Drugs are no longer an issue,” she said.

Magistrate Franz Holzer sentenced McCurry to a 12month corrections order, with 100 hours of unpaid community work, alongside drug treatment.