NSW’s party drug crisis laid bare as magistrate is sick to death of the excuses
From two brazen dealers to six young users and an alleged trafficker, the ugly layers of NSW’s festival drug nightmare have been exposed in court. The series of separate hearings came amid fresh warnings of more overdose deaths yesterday just days before one of the scene’s biggest weekends of the year.
One by one, they fronted the court and pleaded for clemency because trying to smuggle drugs into a Central Coast music festival last month was their first offence. Each time, Magistrate Alex Mijovich was having none of it.
“We’re asked not to give a conviction for young people (on a first offence) … but we have people dying,” Mr Mijovich told one 19-year-old woman, who was caught in a police sweep at the Lost Paradise event with 12 capsules of MDMA sticky-taped to a tampon secreted inside her.
She was one of six young women who, on Friday, were the first of 110 people due to face Gosford Local Court on charges of trying to bring illegal drugs into the four-day festival in late December, or with having drugs in their system as they left.
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Josh Tam, 22, died after taking pills and drinking at Lost Paradise, one of five young Australians to lose their lives in four months from suspected drug overdoses at music events.
The six young women who appeared in front of Mr Mijovich all came from supportive families, had bright career prospects, travel aspirations and had never stepped inside a court before.
When they left court, five took with them a conviction that will stay on their permanent record while the sixth will be dealt with when her matter returns to court next month after she pleaded guilty.
One by one, as their matters came up, Mr Mijovich admonished the women as their lawyers pleaded it was their first offence, the drugs were for personal use and how they wanted to continue studying or travel overseas.
The magistrate said that while there were precedents that would allow him to record no convictions for the women, doing so would send a message to the community that “you can come to court for a first offence and all you’ll get is a slap on the wrist”.
“I’m not prepared to do that,” he said, telling the women they were “rolling the dice” with their lives.
Amelia Fordsmith, a 19-year-old nursing student from Newcastle, admitted to police outside Lost Paradise on December 28 she had internally concealed 10 MDMA capsules, according to police facts in court. The court was told she wanted to travel to New Zealand and a formal conviction would harm her chances. Mr Mijovich had little sympathy: “Everybody wants to travel.” He recorded a formal conviction for possession and put her on an 18-month good behaviour bond.
Another woman, Kiana Mee Ra Soper, 19, of Maryland in Newcastle, pleaded guilty to possessing 12 capsules. She was convicted and given a similar 18-month community release order as Fordsmith.
Sisters Meg and Lili Christensen, aged 21 and 24, and their friend Tia Rose Mills, 22, of Coogee, were convicted of possession after police found more than 20 capsules in resealable bags, a drink bottle, packet of chips and a balloon as they entered the festival. The three were convicted and put on 12-month community release orders. Olivia May Patricia Dominish, 18, of Ashtonville, pleaded guilty to drug possession for having 10 capsules of MDMA but her case was adjourned to Maitland Local Court for her lawyer to dispute the police facts about how she came to officers’ attention.
KEEPING TABS ON HUGE HAUL
By Eliza Barr
Two Sydney men have been accused of supplying a huge range of drugs including LSD, magic mushrooms, ice, ketamine, cannabis, cocaine and even Xanax.
Police allege Adam Khodr, 30, intended to supply 2000 LSD tabs when he was arrested on Wright St, Hurstville at 9.20am on Tuesday. A search at his Carlton home allegedly then uncovered $450,000 of drugs and $259,200 in cash, according to court documents. He is also accused of supplying commercial quantities of MDMA.
Khodr appeared at Sutherland Local Court yesterday, charged with 14 counts of supplying drugs between November 22 last year and Tuesday, when he was arrested.
He was refused bail and will return to court via audiovisual link on January 30.
Meanwhile, 25-year-old Ashfield man, Cameron Murphy, has also been charged with three counts of large commercial drug supply and indictable drug supply, after an investigation that began in September last year. The estimated potential street value of the drugs allegedly seized is more than $450,000.
Murphy was arrested at a business on Coal Pier Rd in Banksmeadow and charged with three counts of large commercial drug supply and indictable drug supply. He was formally refused bail at Central Local Court yesterday with the matter adjourned to March 21.
HIGH ALERT AS MUSIC FESTIVALS TAKE A CUT
By Jack Houghton and Danielle Gusmaroli
A music festival will reduce crowd numbers and slash opening hours this weekend as a drug prevention measure following talks with authorities.
The Hard Core Til I Die electric dance rave at Olympic Park on Saturday is one of three weekend raves in the sights of the state government after a wave of drug deaths and overdoses this summer.
Organisers have cut the number of tickets on sale by 1000 to 14,000 and will now delay opening the gates until 5pm instead of 2.30pm.
The late start will keep revellers out of the sun during the brunt of the heatwave which is expected to sweep the city this weekend, while the smaller crowd will ease the load on health and safety professionals.
The tougher licencing conditions were imposed as part of its agreement with NSW Health, NSW Police and the Department of Liquor and Licensing.
They follow a new crackdown that imposes fines of up to $110,000 for festivals in breach of licence conditions.
Drug and firearms squad commander detective superintendent Martin Fileman said this weekend’s festivals would also be the first where police issue on-the-spot fines of $400 to revellers caught carrying low levels of ecstasy.
“Fines will be issued at dance festivals this weekend as part of harm minimisation to allow officers to police festivals more effectively, however, anyone caught supplying drugs will go through criminal court system,” he said.
Attorney-General Mark Speakman personally approved the trial which is designed to remove pressure from clogged courtrooms and send an instant message to revellers that drugs are illegal.
Emergency crews will be stretched with two other festivals, also classified as “high risk” being held this weekend.
Electric Gardens is at Centennial Park, with a 30,000 capacity, on Saturday, while Rolling Loud is on Sunday at Olympic Park.
UNDERWEAR PLAN TO SMUGGLE RAVE DRUGS
By Ashleigh Gleeson
Brazenly plotting a music festival drug smuggling operation, they joked about the right bra size needed to hide all the ecstasy they planned to sell.
But yesterday Julian Martusciello and Grace Poo were not laughing as they tried desperately to hide their faces in any way they could after pleading guilty to drug supply charges relating to the Midnight Mafia Music Festival last year.
Martusciello, 26, and Poo, 22, both appeared at Burwood Court yesterday after Poo was arrested at the festival hiding a staggering 1600 MDMA caps — with a street value of about $50,000 — inside her bra and “downstairs”.
Martusciello, of Chester Hill, who ran from the court for several blocks with his hoodie over his head, allegedly provided Poo with 400 of the 1597 caps hidden in seven plastic-wrapped packages, police facts state.
Court documents tendered in Martusciello’s case allege that before the festival the pair wrote to each other about the drug plan. She also allegedly told him she was also bringing in “stuff” for others.
Martusciello wrote to Poo on Facebook Messenger: “Hey grace keep this Saturday free please. For MM … split some so downstairs and some each boob.”
Poo wrote back: “Okay I’ll wear an actual bra this time”. Martusciello: “You have to for sure. Big bra.”
Three days later Poo wrote: “Just bought myself a huge bra so I’m all set.”
Martusciello then wrote to her about the plan for her to take 400 caps in total in two separate packages.
He said he would give $400 cash, 40 “freebies” and a ticket.
“As long as can fit downstairs,” she wrote back.
Martusciello messaged her he would wrap it tight as “less in bra is better”.
On May 5, 2018 the pair drove together to Sydney Olympic Park for the Midnight Mafia Festival before Poo tried to walk in and was approached by a police sniffer dog, police facts say.
She initially denied having any drugs but allegedly went on to admit: “OK, I have a lot”.
“How much is a lot?” the senior constable asked. She allegedly responded: “Like, a lot, a lot of MDMA … in my top and some inside of me.”
The Earlwood woman was strip searched and allegedly removed six packages wrapped in plastic and condoms from her bra. Court documents say she also removed one condom package from her vagina.
Poo told police she was carrying the drugs for five groups.
She said that she intended to enter the festival and enter the bathrooms to give the drugs back to them.
Facts in Poo’s case have not yet been agreed, but both have been committed for sentence on March 8.
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