Melanie Cox sentenced in Coffs Harbour court on drug supply charges

Cocaine, ice and cash were found in her car when it was stopped in December as part of an operation investigating drug supply between Sydney and Tweed Heads – see what sentence she copped.

A Coffs Harbour businesswoman who was found with ice, cocaine and cash in her car in December last year has been sentenced.

Melanie Cox was driving on the Pacific Highway at North Boambee Valley on the evening of December 16 when she was stopped by police as part of a wider operation investigating the supply of prohibited drugs between Sydney and Tweed Heads.

Officers found 245g of methylamphetamine (ice), 30g of cocaine and $4180 in cash.

According to police documents tendered to the court, the drugs were found hidden in various locations in the car, including behind a panel in the driver side footwell and in the steering column.

There was $2000 cash in the centre console which she told police was for furniture sold and delivered to Bellingen, and the remainder in her handbag.

The court had previously heard Cox operates a furniture business.

Melanie Cox leaving Coffs Harbour courthouse on August 9.

She was also subjected to a roadside drug test, which allegedly returned a positive result for methylamphetamine (ice) and cocaine.

An agreed set of facts tendered to the court state she admitted to police that she used the pipe found in the car to smoke meth.

The car was seized and she was taken to the Coffs Harbour police station and arrested.

She was remanded in custody overnight and appeared via audiovisual link for her first court appearance with her ash grey hair up in a bun looking visibly distressed.

After the night remanded in custody she was granted bail to live at her father’s place who entered into a bail security agreement on her behalf of $1000.

The car being driven by Melanie Cox was seized in the night of December 16. Picture: Frank Redward.

Cox initially pleaded not guilty, but during a court appearance in August she pleaded guilty to the following charges:

• supply a prohibited drug (methamphetamine) – greater than an indictable but less than commercial quantity
• supply a prohibited drug (cocaine) – greater than an indictable but less than commercial quantity
• recklessly deal with the proceeds of crime of a value less than $5000 (the $4180 in cash)

The charges of possess a prohibited drug (cocaine) and having goods in personal custody suspected of being stolen were withdrawn.

At her sentencing at Coffs Harbour Local Court on Tuesday, September 27, magistrate Brett Thomas told the court that the law has only recently changed, and that supply matters such as these would be heard in the district court, potentially in front of a jury, but in her case he would be deciding the sentence.

Mr Thomas said she had put herself in a very “serious position” and had come “close to going to jail on a full-time basis” but due to her lack of prior offending and her guilty plea he said the matter could be dealt with by way of an intensive corrections order in the community.

For the two supply charges and recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime she was convicted and sentenced to an aggregate term of imprisonment of 15 months starting on September 27. The term of imprisonment is to be served by way of intensive correction in the community.

As part of the order she must not to commit any offence and submit to supervision by a community corrections officer.

Cox must also perform 200 hours of community service work.

When the magistrate asked her if she understood the sentence and that she must be of good behaviour, Cox said: “yes I do, thank you your honour” and: “thank you so much”.