Dealer dad facing jail over drug, weapons offences

A GEELONG dad hopes to avoid jail after he turned to dealing drugs following the collapse of his marriage.

Matthew Weston, 41, of East Geelong, pleaded guilty on Thursday to a range of drug and weapon offences, including trafficking amphetamine.

The father of two’s double life was exposed when police spotted him riding a bicycle through Norlane shortly after 2am on July 18, 2020.

Prosecutor Senior

Constable

Victoria McPhee told Geelong Magistrates Court that officers found Weston (right) with more than 4g of amphetamine, smaller quantities of heroin and ice, and a pocket knife.

Police examined Weston’s mobile phone and discovered messages in relation to trafficking amphetamine.

At the time, Weston was on bail for drug possession after police busted him with ice in the carpark of Buckley’s Entertainment Centre in Breakwater. He was again arrested last December when police found further drugs in his car after he drove to a Corio 7Eleven store.

On that occasion, Weston was breaching multiple bail conditions.

The offending throughout last year resulted in Weston spending five days in custody.

He has been out on bail since early December.

Defence lawyer Stephanie Mawby said Weston’s life went “off the rails” and he became heavily involved in drugs after separating from his wife in 2019. She said the end of the 20-year marriage coincided with the closure of Weston’s bricklaying business due to a back injury.

“That was part of his identity; being the provider of the family and earning a good income and making sure the children had everything they needed,” Ms Mawby said.

She pushed for Weston to be sentenced to a community correction order instead of jail.

But Constable McPhee said the court should consider sentencing Weston to prison.

“Obviously he would benefit from the treatment that a correction order could offer him, but I think that a term of imprisonment is definitely open to the court and within range,” she said.

Magistrate Simon Guthrie said a jail term remained an option when Weston returned to court for sentencing on May 17.