Lachlan Christopher Baily spared jailed for possessing cocaine, ecstasy and LSD near Springbank College

A young drug dealer caught with cocaine, ecstasy and LSD near a high school had an AN0M phone and admitted selling to a student. Yet what he did next won the judge’s praise.

A young drug dealer caught with hundreds of ecstasy pills, deal bags of cocaine and LSD tabs only down the road from a southern suburbs high has been spared jail.

Lachlan Christopher Baily, 21, from Pasadena, admitted selling drugs on at least one occasion to a student in uniform and was found in possession of an encrypted AN0M phone as well as thousands of dollars in cash.

On Thursday, Baily appeared in the District Court for sentencing on three charges of possessing a controlled drug for sale in a school zone and one charge of possessing a prohibited weapon.

Judge Liesl Kudelka said Baily had first come to police attention when a resident living nearby Springbank College had reported to police that a black Subaru Forrester was being used to sell drugs to schoolchildren.

The resident reported the car on several occasions with a male behind the wheel.

Lachlan Baily, left, was spared jail for possessing large amounts of ecstasy, MDMA and cocaine near Springbank College. Picture: Facebook.

On March 18, 2021, police spotted an identical car parked 500m from Springbank College.

When the police drove past, the car drove away and was then pulled over.

Baily was behind the wheel with his girlfriend in the passenger seat.

In a bumbag under the front seat of the car were 95 pink Transformer tablets, 1.57g of cocaine divided across three bags, 45 LSD tabs and $1000 cash.

Baily had a mobile phone in his pocket as well as 1.06g grams of cocaine in his pocket and a further .06g in his wallet while the passenger had $3200.

At Baily’s home police found 2007 more ecstasy tablets as well as $8400 cash, electric scales, numerous resealable bags and empty capsules in a safe.

Lachlan Baily was spared jail for possessing large amounts of ecstasy, MDMA and cocaine near Springbank College. Picture: Facebook.

On a coffee table at the house was an AN0M phone – an encrypted device used predominantly by criminals to avoid detection.

Because of Operation Ironside, which had secretly been surveilling all the AN0M phones, the messages could be read and showed multiple messages about the sale and purchase of drugs.

“During the interview you admitted selling drugs on hundreds of occasions prior to the 18 March and had performed at least two drug deals on the day of the arrest,” Judge Kudelka said during sentencing.

“You admitted that on a prior occasion you sold drugs to a school age person in a school uniform in a school zone.”

Judge Kudelka said that the offences were without a doubt serious, but praised Baily for turning his life around since the arrest.

“I am satisfied that you were in a dark place with your mental health,” she said.

“I could not help but be impressed with your efforts you have made and I really do accept that you have come a long way.”

She said Baily was supported by his parents, had sought help for his mental health, was well thought of in his job and had not offended or returned a positive drug sample since his arrest.

Baily was sentenced to three years, nine months and two days in prison with a non-parole period of one year and 11 months.

The sentence was fully suspended.