Emily Jane Gray pleads guilty after hiding meth-dealing boyfriend Benjamin Thomas Cairns in her garage

She tried to shield him from police during a manhunt – then posted a loving video about her drug-dealing boyfriend. Soon she will be sentenced. Watch the video here.

A Mount Gambier woman tried to hide her partner from police in her garage after he cut off his ankle monitor and later video chatted with him while he was behind bars, a court has heard.

Emily Jane Gray, 22, was dating Benjamin Thomas Cairns, 28, who was sentenced on Monday after he was caught with $30,000 worth of meth, the court heard.

Gray pleaded guilty to several charges including driving while disqualified, breaching bail, hindering police and entering a licensed premises she was banned from.

A police prosecutor told the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court that during a large manhunt for Cairns on April 11, 2022, Gray was “adamant” her partner was not at her home, preventing them from searching the property.

“She initially refused entry to the place shortly after police attended the address with a warrant – and located (Cairns) hiding in a garage,” a police prosecutor said.

Police prosecution said Gray breached her bail twice after she spoke with her partner via video, while he was locked up at the Mount Gambier prison.

On April 10, Gray took to Instagram about her drug-dealing partner.

“You can never experience pain like this until someone is taken from you,” the post read.

“Just because you make bad choices, doesn’t make you a person. You never know what demons people are fighting.

“I wish people seen you through my eyes and then they would understand why I stuck by your side.”

Emily Jane Gray attempted to hide her partner from police in her garage, a court heard. Picture: Supplied.

Emily Jane Gray, was also charged with breaching her bail after she video called with her drug-dealing partner, while he was in jail. Picture: Supplied.

Rachel Regester, for Gray, told the court her client was a good candidate for a good behaviour bond because she had realised her relationship with Cairns was “not the most positive influence”.

“There’s been no further offending, which is now almost 12 months, which does demonstrate that perhaps these were isolated incidents,” Ms Regester said.

The District Court has previously heard Cairns was under the influence of meth when he cut off his home detention bracelet and went on the run and absconded to Victoria, where he allegedly committed further offences, including dangerous driving and drug charges.

Benjamin Cairns was wanted for breaching his home detention bail. Photo: SAPOL

Benjamin Cairns pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. Photo: Facebook

He is yet to enter a plea to those charges.

Benjamin Thomas Cairns and Emily Jane Gray. Picture: Supplied

The District Court heard Cairns was sentenced in 2018 for drug trafficking and firearms offences.

A prosecutor told the District Court on Monday Cairns was caught with 95.51g of methamphetamine, 252g of fantasy and 53 Suboxone strips in May 2021 at Mount Gambier.

The court heard the methamphetamine was valued between $26,191 and $30,390 and the fantasy was worth between $504 and $1764.

The prosecutor said it was likely Victorian police would extradite Cairns to Victoria once he served his sentence in South Australia.

Sentencing was delayed after the Mount Gambier Magistrate Court found two separate dates over one of Gray’s charges.

She will next front court in June.