Deon Vermey sentenced to home detention for trafficking fantasy

A father who was caught dealing drugs on parole has been given another chance to turn his life around, while his former partner has also come clean.

A father has narrowly dodged jail after police uncovered fantasy and cash during a traffic stop while he was on parole for drug trafficking.

Deon John Paul Vermey, 27, was given a chance by a judge to turn his life around and look after his young daughter.

During sentencing, the District Court heard police saw a silver Daewoo parked in Pooraka on November 11, 2022.

“As police followed, the car increased speed and was being driven erratically,” Judge Michael Durrant said.

Police stopped the car in which Vermey’s partner at the time, Renee Winnis Betterman-Paltridge, 31, was driving.

Deon Vermey was sentenced to home detention. Photo: Facebook

They found 254g of fantasy, worth up to $1963, in the front passenger footwell of the car and over $2000 in a bumbag Vermey was wearing.

Police then searched Vermey’s Lightsview home where they found further fantasy, which is uncharged, as well as plastic bags and a set of scales.

“Police extracted various messages indicative of drug trafficking from your phone dating from July 2022 to November 2022,” Judge Durrant said.

The court heard Vermey had breached his parole with the offending as he had previously been convicted of another count of drug trafficking.

“Upon your release from custody in 2022 you ceased using methamphetamine and began using GHB. Your reported use was around 50ml a day,” Judge Durrant said.

Vermey, of Lightsview, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking.

Deon Vermey and Renee Betterman-Paltridge both pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. Picture: Facebook

Betterman-Paltridge, of Elizabeth Vale, also earlier pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and will face sentencing submissions later this month.

The court heard Vermey and Betterman-Paltridge were in a relationship for about five years but Vermey was now dating another woman, which was a prosocial relationship.

The court heard Vermey, who was working for a concreting business, had been working very hard at his rehabilitation and turning away from a criminal life.

Vermey was sentenced to three years and seven months jail, with a non-parole period of one year and nine months.

“Illicit drugs destroy the lives of those who consume them and they negatively impact the families involved and the wider community,” Judge Durrant said.

However, due to Vermey having sole care of his daughter and stable employment, he was ordered to serve the sentence on home detention.

Originally published as Deon Vermey sentenced to home detention for trafficking fantasy