Alleged drug dealer Dion Jess Lambert denied overseas holiday

An alleged drug dealer’s bid to go overseas for a holiday was knocked back by the court, being told he’s at a “very grave risk” of going to jail.

Dion Lambert is charged with drug trafficking. Photo: Facebook

An alleged drug dealer with a prior conviction for trafficking will be stuck in Adelaide while the rest of his family are overseas, a court has decided.

Dion Jess Lambert had his application knocked back in the Supreme Court this week, with a justice telling him he was at “very grave risk” of going to jail.

Peter Hill, for Mr Lambert, told the court his client wanted to go overseas to Indonesia this week to celebrate his father’s birthday.

“It’s not the fact that he’s arrested and went ‘I’m going to jail, I want to flee the country’,” he said.

“It’s a long planned trip with family and he will come back to Adelaide.”

Dion Lambert is charged with drug trafficking. Photo: Facebook

Mr Hill said Mr Lambert “vehemently contested” the charge and wasn’t a flight risk as he had a four-year-son and strong ties to the state.

Peter Cannell, for the prosecution, said they weren’t opposed to the application, but noted the seriousness of the charge and that Mr Lambert had only completed a suspended sentence for trafficking a year prior.

Justice Sandi McDonald said she was surprised to hear prosecution wasn’t opposed as the drugs were found in Mr Lambert’s laundry.

“So on the face of it, it’s a strong prosecution case where your client has had the benefit of two suspended sentences in the past,” Justice McDonald said.

“He is at very grave risk of going to jail for a significant period of time and you want me to allow him to leave the country for a holiday.”

Mr Hill said the issue with the drugs found was possession.

“It’s not the case that there has been an example of say selling to an undercover officer or having an open and shut case with all the indicia of sale,” he said.

“It is not found on his person, it’s not found in his car, it’s not found in his bedroom chest of drawers.”

Mr Lambert, of Maslin Beach, is charged with commercial drug trafficking, relating to a search on July 22.

Mr Hill said Mr Lambert’s partner, who has also been charged, lived at the property where the drugs were found and her bail was varied to allow her to go on the trip.

“He says that he’s been incorrectly charged, it’s not his drugs, he’s not a drug dealer,” he said.

Justice McDonald refused the application.