Dylan Athey pleaded guilty to trafficking methamphetamine after high-speed police chase

A southern suburbs hoon who led police on a high speed chase was found with $15,000 of methamphetamine in a safe upon his arrest. Now he’s behind bars.

A relentless dealer who dumped a backpack full of drugs after a high-speed police pursuit turned to selling meth to support his significant addiction.

Dylan Andrew John Athey, 33, was jailed for over four years after he turned to drug trafficking again to fund his substantial addiction.

During sentencing on Tuesday, the District Court heard Athey was arrested after police spotted him on a motorbike travelling south with no registration plates on April 1, 2021.

PolAir picked up the bike riding along Beach Road at high speeds.

Athey eventually fled on foot at Seaford Meadows, before dumping his backpack which contained drugs.

Dylan Athey pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. Picture: Facebook

Dylan Athey was jailed for over four years. Picture: Facebook

The court heard police found a magnetic safe inside his bag which contained four resealable bags of “high purity” mixed methamphetamine, totalling 45.52g.

Judge Liesl Kudelka said the value of the drugs was around $15,000.

Athey, of Morphett Vale, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking.

He was previously sentenced to six months jail for the driving offences, which included riding disqualified and at a dangerous speed.

Judge Kudelka said Athey had three prior convictions for drug trafficking, after he continued dealing methamphetamine while on bail in 2013 and 2014.

The court heard Athey was trafficking significant quantities of meth from his family house where his partner and children were living.

The court heard Athey, who grew up in Whyalla, had been largely employed in the construction industry and had aspirations to be a fly-in fly-out worker.

During sentencing submissions in March, the court heard Athey had been using up to $1000 of drugs a day, meaning he had to to resort to selling drugs on a fairly large scale to fund his habit.

Judge Kudelka sentenced Athey to four years and three months jail, with a non-parole period of three years and five months.

“Methamphetamine is a dangerous drug which does great harm to the community and the individuals within it,” she said.

“You can see the harm that it has done so far to your life.”

The sentence was backdated to October 19, 2021.