Casey Norder sentenced for drug supply in Airlie Beach nightlife district

Caught red handed in the nightclub district, police pulled him aside for a search and found six clip seal bags containing ‘goodness knows what’ and a wad of cash. But it was his phone that got him in serious trouble.

A teenage cocaine dealer watched his drug-dealing operation come tumbling down because of his inability to look sober in front of police at Airlie Beach.
The Mackay district court heard Lismore-born Casey Norder was clearly under the influence of cocaine when police spotted him stumbling through the nightlife district on December 23, 2022.

Causing suspicion, police detained and searched Norder finding several clip-seal bags with drugs in his bum-bag, a $10 note rolled up into a scoop with drug residue and a whopping $3,370 in cash.

Despite telling them the drugs in the bags were for ‘personal use’, a subsequent search of his phone revealed he had been working as a small-scale cocaine dealer, occasionally dabbling in cannabis.

Cocaine dealer Casey Norder (centre) pleaded guilty in Mackay District Court. He was well supported by friends and family. Picture: Janessa Ekert

Crown Prosecutor Ashleigh Worthington said beyond proven supplies, his telephone also revealed messages relating to the “negotiation of location, quantities, prices and making plans to meet up”, but in circumstances where the Crown could not prove drugs were exchanged.

Norder’s barrister, Mr Scott Mclennan told the court his client was a young, first time offender with the support of his parents, friends, and brother in the court.

His 20-year-old client pleaded guilty at an early stage, had no prior criminal history and was clean since his arrest, proving it with drug screenings.

“Your honour will take some comfort from the fact he’s substantially rehabilitated himself,” Mr Mclennan said.

Norder was educated till grade 10 in Proserpine, and had an ‘excellent’ history of work since leaving school, including in his parents sign writing business.

Judge Michael Burnett warned him the drugs he sold could have had any manner of dangerous materials in them.

“You offered to sell cocaine tablets which were broken and capped with other materials which were not the subject of analysis — goodness knows what they were,” the judge said.

“A sentence of imprisonment is important to express the community’s denunciation of this contact and to deter like-minded offenders.”

Casey Norder pleaded guilty to drug supply after being caught with cocaine in the Airlie Beach nightlife district. Picture: Paul Brescia

He wore a pale suit jacket with blue pants, white shirt, and silver watch in court, his clean cut face flushed and matching his orange hair.

The tall young man looked small and scared behind glass in the dock. His thumb couldn’t help but pull at his shirt sleeve as he stood up hands crossed to await his fate to sixteen counts of supplying a dangerous drug.

But Judge Burnett made reference to his ‘excellent prospects of rehabilitation’ when deciding to hand down a suspended sentence.

Norder was sentenced to 16 months in prison, wholly suspended for a period of 2.5 years, and walked from court a free man.

When asked outside of court if he had any messages for other other young people considering using or selling drugs, Norder had no comment.