Sean Ramsay receives suspended prison term for selling MDMA after falling into bad crowd

A young carpenter fell into a “poor peer group” court heard, after he was caught on CCTV selling party drugs to young women on Hindley St.

An apprentice chippie has avoided jail for selling MDMA to young women down the Hindley St strip.

Sean Ramsay, 21, appeared in the District Court of South Australia earlier this month charged with drug trafficking.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

The court heard the Craigmore man was caught on CCTV participating in a drug deal with young women about 11.08pm on December 31, 2018 down Produce Lane.

He was seen receiving $40 and handing over a press sealed bag with yellow pills.

When later searched by police, Ramsay had $370 in cash, 13 pills and a “significant number” of small, plastic resealable bags and a mobile phone.

Sean Ramsay was caught selling MDMA pills to women on the Hindley Street strip. Picture: Facebook

“You claimed you had given the pills that night by a mate whose name you could not remember,” Judge Jane Schammer said.

He said he was told by the friend to meet a female in a lane to provide the pills for money.

“You claim you were unaware what was in the pills, that you intended to collect money and give it to your mate together with the other unsold pills and receive some drinks from him in return,” Judge Schammer said.

“You now acknowledge you were not completely frank with the police during that interview.

“You knew the pills contained MDMA.”

The court heard at the time Ramsay had distanced himself from his old high school friends and had been “despondent” after the break-up of a long-term relationship.

He began going to nightclubs on Hindley St and had fallen in with a “poor peer group” where the use of alcohol and illicit drugs was “the norm”.

Ramsay previously told the court he had not sold drugs before the New Year’s Eve offending and the other 13 pills were for his own personal use.

Sean Ramsay received a suspended prison term for trafficking drugs. Picture: Facebook.

Ramsay, who was born in Scotland, came to Australia when he was four and attended Trinity College, had been a keen footballer and swimmer, a lifeguard and worker at a garden centre.

However, he had since begun a carpentry apprenticeship and reunited with old school friends who were a “good influence” on him.

His counsel had previously said the arrest had served as a “significant wakeup call”.

Judge Schammer accepted he was a “low level street offender” who was motivated by a “small monetary reward”, it was an isolated incident and Ramsay had been remorseful and contrite with little chance of reoffending.

“You now have a closer and more honest relationship with your parents,” she said.

“I very much hope… this has been a salutary lesson for you.”

He received a suspended one year, nine month, two weeks and four day jail term and a two year good behaviour bond.

“It is in the interests of the community that you remain in the community, complete your apprenticeship and continue to distance yourself from illicit drugs and those who use them,” she said.

“Drugs cause misery to those who become addicted to them, their families and friends and the wider community.”