Craig Michael Kennedy jailed for trafficking and possessing methylamphetamine and cannabis

It was an eight-month period some two years ago, but a 56-year-old will spend more than a year in jail for trafficking street level quantities of methylamphetamine and cannabis.

A Stanthorpe man’s lengthy criminal history in two states for drug dealing came back to haunt him in Toowoomba Supreme Court.

Craig Michael Kennedy was sentenced on Friday after pleading guilty to trafficking dangerous drugs, and three counts of possessing dangerous drugs.

Between December 16, 2018 and August 25, 2019, the now 56-year-old trafficked quantities of cannabis and methylamphetamine in two periods of three and two months, the court was told.

Crown prosecutor Shontelle Petrie said police investigations uncovered messages on Kennedy’s phone that supported he had regularly supplied street level quantities of the two drugs to about six regular customers.

Kennedy was also charged of possessing cannabis and methylamphetamine at the time of his arrest on August 25, 2019.

Referring to Kennedy’s NSW criminal history, which Ms Petrie described as being “peppered” with drug entries, the court was told Kennedy had previously been convicted of supplying 1.8kg and 2.2kg of amphetamine in 1996, for which he was jailed for six-and-a-half years.

“Most recently … he was involved in the supply of 140g of methylamphetamine, and he was on bail for that offending at the time of these offences,” Ms Petrie said.

Kennedy’s barrister Dominic Nguyen said his client had a long history of drug abuse but had engaged with rehabilitation services in an effort to address the problem.

The court was told Kennedy had been prescribed medicinal cannabis to treat his cancer, which had begun as skin cancer and has been suspected of spreading through other parts of his body.

Mr Nguyen said his client enjoyed the support of his family, and that a period of time in custody would hamper his cancer treatment.

Justice David Boddice found however the “intensity” of Kennedy’s trafficking was strong enough to warrant a custodial sentence.

Kennedy was sentenced to five years jail, with a non-parole period of 15 months, an otherwise shorter time to reflect his poor health. His release date was set at June 10, 2023.

Originally published as Craig Michael Kennedy jailed for trafficking and possessing methylamphetamine and cannabis