Connor Hamilton McLeod, 27, sentenced after possessing dangerous drugs and trafficking MDMA
An unemployed NDIS recipient was caught by security pushing drugs at a popular Cairns nightclub, a court has heard. Find out his punishment here.
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An unemployed NDIS recipient was caught by security pushing drugs at a popular Cairns nightclub, a court has heard.
Connor Hamilton McLeod, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing dangerous drugs and one count of trafficking dangerous drugs in the Cairns Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Crown prosecutor Seamus McManus said police found 121 clip seal bags holding one capsule each of MDMA, 29 clip seal bags with MDMA in crystal form, 200 empty clip seal bags, and a compressed block of MDMA weighing about 244g.
He said the overall substance weighed 283g with a drug analysis certificate showing 206g of MDMA was detected.
“CCTV cameras show the defendant stashing the bag in a nearby bush (to where he lived),” he said.
“Police were called and defendant admitted the bag was his and it contained MDMA.”
Mr McManus said he participated in an interview with police saying he would distribute one capsule that contained a point of MDMA for $25.
“On Friday and Saturday he went to Gilligan’s and The Woolshed and then it outlines his process of sales – 50 to 60 pills per night,” he said.
“Which equates to between $2.5K to $3.5k in total for those night.”
“He told police he gave $1K to his aunt.”
Mr McManus said a text message on the defendant’s phone was rather peculiar.
“The text read, ‘The security guards at the nightclub busted me, it was a horrible weekend. Drug retailing is not my forte bro’.”
Mr McManus said the text asked to return the MDMA and the supplier sent an address to return 56 grams.
Defence barrister Martin Longhurst said his client embarked down a rabbit hole.
“With respect to the facts, my client ordered a limited amount of pills, then he received a quantity of about 250g of MDMA that he had discussed with the supplier, the oversupply,” he said.
“He was talked into the benefits of being able to sell the pills and retain some profit.
“He ordered a limited number of capsules that came to under 10 euros. I believe there was an exchange of cryptocurrency.”
Mr Longhurst said the psychiatric report spoke for his state of mind.
“I asked him why he used MDMA and he said it makes him feel like he matters. He said it stops him from being worthless,” he said.
“He’s taken accurate steps to remove himself from drug scene, since then he's been in his room playing video games.
“He’s stopped doing physical sports because he believes that while these charges are pending the best thing for him to do is stay in his room.”
Justice Jim Henry said McLeod’s early plea of guilty was significant in mitigating his sentence.
The court heard the psychiatric report showed McLeod had suffered traumatic events as a child, cognitive impairment and was on the autism spectrum.
Given his lack of prior criminal history and the psychiatric report, Justice Henry sentenced McLeod to three years imprisonment with an immediate parole release date.
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Originally published as Connor Hamilton McLeod, 27, sentenced after possessing dangerous drugs and trafficking MDMA
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