Erin Clark handed a suspended sentence for trafficking fantasy at Seaton
Police had to force entry to a dealer’s house and found her tipping fantasy down the sink in efforts to conceal her secret joint enterprise with her boyfriend.
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A new mother has dodged jail after she was caught by police tipping fantasy down the sink in efforts to conceal her secret business.
Erin Allanah Clark, 38, was dealing drugs alongside her partner at the time, Steven Anthony Gonos, 33, to fund their habits.
The Adelaide District Court on Thursday heard police searched Clark’s Seaton property in April, 2019.
“The police were required to force entry to gain access to the property,” Judge Michael Burnett said during sentencing.
Police caught Clark tipping liquid from a number of plastic bottles down the sink.
They found 39.7g of GHB, also known as fantasy, which was valued at $200.
The court heard text messages on Clark’s phone revealed “active dealing” and indicated she was dealing as far back as August 8, 2018.
Clark, of Mitchell Park, and Gonos, of Seaton, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, arising from a charge in December, 2018.
The court heard Clark, who grew up between Port Lincoln and Adelaide, had her drug use escalate and she became “heavily addicted”.
“About this time you formed a relationship with the man who is your co-accused, he was violent and controlling,” Judge Burnett said.
“You were motivated by profit, although to fund your own use of drugs.”
The court heard Clark, who is a mother-of-three, was working for her sister’s industrial cleaning company in Nuriootpa.
The court heard Clark was undertaking rehabilitation for her drug addiction, which was sparked by getting pregnant with her third child.
Judge Burnett sentenced Clark to three years and three months, with a non-parole period of 20-months.
“Addiction to illicit drugs can cause great damage to an individual and their families,” Judge Burnett said.
Due to Clark’s rehabilitation commitment, the sentence was suspended on a $500, three-year good behaviour bond, with supervision for 18-months.
Gonos will appear in the court next month for sentencing submissions.
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