Drug dealer walks free

A WARWICK man who was busted selling drugs nearly 20 times in just under a month and told customers he could get them “everything except heroin” has walked free from court.

Byron John Thompson sold marijuana to various people on 18 occasions between February 19 and March 18, with his biggest sales bringing in between $180 and $200.

Warwick Magistrates Court heard that a few of the text conversations between the 22-year-old and his customers revealed Thompson mentioned being able to sell them LSD and almost any drug except heroin, though there was no evidence he organised any such supplies.

Police prosecutor Andrew Grafton said it was only weeks later on May 4 that Thompson again landed himself in strife, this time being nabbed behind the wheel of an unregistered and uninsured vehicle having never held a licence. Thompson appeared in court with clean criminal and traffic histories.

Defence lawyer Phillip Crook told the Warwick court his client struggled with a number of mental health issues and behavioural disorders such including bipolar, autism, ADHD, and Asperger syndrome, and had also suffered several childhood illnesses.

Mr Crook said Thompson’s drug offending was also driven by a difficult upbringing, and asked that the Warwick man be given the benefit of guidance and rehabilitation under a probation order.

“The long and the short of it is that my client resorted to drugs, but he says he has been off meth for about four months,” he said.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess warned Thompson that even though his own drug use was clearly an attempt to selfmedicate and his references to selling hard drugs were “a bit of grandstanding”, none of his personal issues excused his conduct.

“It’s one thing to have your own problem that you’re dealing with – it’s another to contribute to the drug trade yourself by effectively being a drug dealer,” she said.

Thompson pleaded guilty to 18 counts of supplying a dangerous drug and another one count each of possessing an item used in the commission of a crime, unlicensed driving, and driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle.

He was placed on probation for 15 months and fined $1192. No conviction was recorded.