Van Dan Nguyen was sentenced to a home detention jail term for supplying heroin

A drug-addicted father who was supplying his uncle with heroin has been sentenced after a police bust at his Salisbury home.

A heroin dealer who was addicted to the drug himself was caught by police supplying it to his uncle.

Van Dan Nguyen, 41, was sentenced in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday and narrowly avoided jail.

The court heard police were doing covert investigations on June 10, 2019.

“They saw a car pulling into your driveway … a man entered your home and then left a short time later,” Chief Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal said.

“Police conducted a traffic stop of that car and searched it and found a small package of heroin in the man’s wallet.”

Officers then searched Nguyen’s Salisbury home and found a resealable bag containing 4.38g of heroin, 2.2g of which was pure.

They also found five bundles containing 0.86g of heroin, digital scales, and prescription drugs.

The court heard Nguyen had been supplying heroin to his uncle, as well as using the drug himself.

Van Dan Nguyen was ordered to serve a home detention sentence for supplying drugs. Picture: Facebook

Nguyen, of Salisbury, had previously pleaded guilty in the Adelaide Magistrates Court to supplying drugs to another person.

The court heard Nguyen was married and had two children.

“I am told your wife is pro-social and opposed to drug use,” Ms Hribal said.

The court heard Nguyen who moved to Adelaide from Vietnam had been addicted to heroin since a young age.

“Your main barrier to accessing counselling has been your lack of English and appropriate interpreter services for you,” Ms Hribal said.

“You are now stable, receiving treatment and have a very supportive and strict wife who doesn’t tolerate drug use.”

Ms Hribal sentenced Nguyen to 10 months and 24 days jail, with convictions recorded.

“Heroin causes damage to individuals and the broader community … it’s a drug to which you have been addicted on and off for many years,” she said.

Ms Hribal ordered the sentence be served on home detention.