Boxing hopeful Pietro Errigo got involved in drugs after told meth would help him lose weight

A boxing star hopeful on the way to the Olympics got involved in drugs, and subsequently low-level dealing, after someone told him meth would help with weight loss.

A boxing hopeful on the way to international stardom got involved in low-level drug dealing after someone told him meth would help him lose weight, a court has heard.

Pietro Rocco Joseph Errigo, 20, appeared in the District Court on Tuesday for sentence after pleading guilty to a variety of offences dated November 29, 2022 including driving at a dangerous speed, possessing a firearm without a licence, failing to answer a police officer and drug trafficking.

Judge Rauf Soulio said Errigo, who at the time was 18, got involved in the wrong crowd after he was told methamphetamine would help him lose weight.

“You told (a psychologist) that you had commenced using methylamphetamine in some two months prior to your arrest having been told by an acquaintance that using that drug would assist you to lose weight,” he said.

“That is relevant in the sense that you have a diagnosed body dysphoria as a result of fluctuating weight dating back to childhood.”

Judge Soulio said Errigo’s arrest came after police observed him driving a car registered to a female at high speed.

“Eventually you were stopped, you were in the driver’s seat and another man was in the passengers’ seat – he had a sum of $6950 on his lap, police saw that there was a sawed off 0.22 calibre bolt action rifle in the rear passenger seat well,” he said.

Errigo was on his way to boxing stardom before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Judge Soulio said ammunition, three mobile phones, 3.45g of mixed material containing methamphetamine and 1.7g of mixed material containing cocaine were also found in a later search of the car.

Judge Soulio said Errigo got involved in boxing in his “pre-teen” years which saw him lose a substantial amount of weight.

“As it turned out you were highly skilled in that sport and became a member of the South Australian boxing team and were a Golden Gloves champion in 2019 fighting at 64kg,” he said.

“As a result of those successes you were invited to train at the Australian Institute of Sport.

“The invitation to join the AIS program, which may have led to Olympic selection and other promising outcomes was unfortunately postponed on three occasions because of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Judge Soulio said Errigo started to become depressed and lost motivation for the sport.

“After being introduced to the use of methamphetamine and cocaine, your use, particularly of methamphetamine, increased rapidly and you were abusing both drugs at a relatively high level,” she said.

“You were prevailed upon to engage in selling drugs to defray your debts and to fund your addiction to drugs.”

Judge Soulio said he took Errigo’s personal circumstances, mental health issues, family support and signs of rehabilitation when sentencing him.

Errigo was sentenced to a good behaviour bond for one year and six months.