Krystian Gawel jailed for trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine

A crane operator whose life spiralled after his fiancee fell to her death from a balcony had an unbelievable excuse for the meth and cocaine found on him.

A new father had an unlikely excuse for thousands of dollars’ worth of drugs after police found him lying in the middle of the road.

Krystian Gawel, 31, had only been on parole for six months before he was back to his old tricks.

The Adelaide District Court heard police found Gawel’s car abandoned on a footpath at Kurralta Park on December 4, 2020.

“You were found lying in the middle of a road about 150m from your vehicle, heavily under the influence of drugs,” Judge Heath Barklay said during sentencing.

Gawel’s car was searched and police found two mobile phones and 78 unused small plastic bags in the centre console.

Police also found five plastic resealable bags containing 2.59g of methamphetamine and three bags containing 15.24g of cocaine, as well as $315 and other drug dealing indicators.

Gawel told the court that he had confiscated the drugs from his friend whom he had been taking drugs with.

“The reason you confiscated her drugs was to stop her dealing drugs,” Judge Barklay said.

“You say your intention was to return the drugs … to her drug dealer.”

Judge Barklay said he did not accept that explanation and would sentence Gawel on the basis he was involved in street level drug dealing.

“I find the motivation for you involving yourself in the trafficking business was for the purposes of financial gain,” he said.

The court heard the methamphetamine was valued between $1295 and $2590 if sold in points and the cocaine was valued between $4500 and $6800 if sold in grams.

Krystian Gawel was jailed for two counts of drug trafficking. Photo: File

Gawel, of Welland, pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking.

The court heard Gawel began using cocaine and methamphetamine in his early 20s, before he suffered a tragedy in 2015 when his fiancee fell from a balcony and died in Turkey.

“As a result of the shock of that your methamphetamine use spiralled out of control,” Judge Barklay said.

That led Gawel to commit two drug trafficking offences which he was sentenced for in 2017 and 2018.

The court heard Gawel began working as a crane operator when he was released on parole in July 2020 and met a new partner who fell pregnant.

“You were provided with a chance to reintegrate yourself into society upon your release on parole which you were obviously unable to achieve,” Judge Barklay said.

“You foolishly believed that you were strong enough to deal with negative influences without slipping. History shows that you were not capable of doing so.”

Judge Barklay said he hopes Gawel’s son who’d he never met as he was taken into custody before he was born promotes his rehabilitation.

Adding on Gawel’s unexpired parole period, Judge Barklay sentenced him to six years and eight months jail, with a non-parole period of four years.

The sentence was backdated to December 4, 2020.