Accused trafficker Benjamin Sorensen allegedly supplied ounces of meth

A convicted drug user was put under the microscope about what he told police in relation to his dealings with an accused meth trafficker.

Benjamin Anton Sorensen.

A convicted drug user was put under the microscope about what he told police in relation to his dealings with an accused drug trafficker during a pre trial hearing this week.

Benjamin Anton Sorensen, 39, is accused of trafficking drugs for almost five months in 2021 and supplying a weapon in September 2021, along with possessing schedule one drugs and property obtained from trafficking.

He was arrested on September 17, 2021, in relation to a police investigation into drug supplies in the Rockhampton and Yeppoon area and police allege he was one of the “principal offenders” in a “network of criminal activity”; the other is former prison officer Stephen Garry Crisp, who was arrested in August 2021.

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During a pre-trial hearing on March 7, 2023, in the Supreme Court in Rockhampton, the court heard convicted drug user Scott Atkinson had told police some of the methamphetamines he was busted possessing – 35 grams, 30 grams and one of 11 grams – in 2021 had been supplied to him by Mr Sorensen.

Defence barrister Scott Lynch questioned Mr Atkinson about what he told police about who supplied him meth, how much he was using weekly in 2021, where he was at the time he was busted and where he got the money from to buy so much meth given he was on a disability pension after being diagnosed with schizophrenia years ago.

Mr Atkinson told the court he had a poor memory due to his heavy drug use and long-term side effects of the fortnightly depot injections he received for his mental health.

He also said he did not know Mr Sorensen before meeting him at a caravan park near the Neville Bonner Hostel in 2021 where he claims he got his Wickr details.

“I met him to buy meth off him,” Mr Atkinson said.

He said he “got a few ounces off him a few times”, maybe eight times after meeting him on July 6, 2021.

Mr Atkinson added he had “big debts all around town” and had borrowed money from family and friends, telling one he was using the money to buy a car.

The court heard Mr Atkinson was due to be released from prison on March 9, 2023.

Mr Sorensen has not entered any pleas yet.

A date has not been set for Mr Sorensen’s trial and the case will next be mentioned on March 16.