Travis Patching handed a suspended sentence for trafficking cocaine in orange Mercedes Benz
A drug addicted tradie has been shown mercy after police uncovered a stash of cocaine in a distinctive Mercedes Benz during a traffic stop.
A tradie has walked free after police uncovered cocaine – worth over $20,000 – stashed in a distinctive Mercedes Benz during a traffic stop.
Travis John Patching, 40, managed to turn his life around after he found himself heavily addicted to cocaine.
During sentencing, the District Court heard police stopped Patching’s orange Mercedes Benz at a service station in Blakeview on February 26, 2023.
They located 43.9g of cocaine, 10.7g of cocaine benzocaine, 2.74g of ketamine, plastic resealable bags and $1000 in the centre console.
Evidence showed that Patching was trafficking in grams and eight-ball (3.5g) quantities a month or so prior to the offending.
The court heard the cocaine was worth up to $21,600 if sold in gram quantities.
“There were also some recorded conversations which suggested that you were discussing the purchase of an ounce of cocaine at varying prices, depending upon the purity,” Judge Heath Barklay said
The court heard a friend suggested to Patching to try cocaine to deal with pressures in his relationship, which initially helped improve it.
“However, the benefits were short-lived … You found yourself heavily addicted,” Judge Barklay said.
“You made the decision to start trafficking in cocaine to support your habit and to allow you to maintain your financial obligations.”
The court heard Patching eventually separated from his partner and hid his drug use from his new partner, Beth Hill, who was also initially charged.
The drug trafficking charge was later withdrawn against Ms Hill in 2023.
Patching pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking.
“I am told that your arrest was a turning point for you,” Judge Barklay said.
“I am told that from that moment you were determined to rid yourself of drugs and reclaim yourself as a productive member of the community, as you have been for most of your adult life,”
The court heard Patching, a father and concreter, had now been drug free for a considerable period of time.
Judge Barklay sentenced Patching to four years and nine months jail, with a non-parole period of two years and six months.
“In this case, you had a significant amount of cocaine worth a considerable amount of money,” he said.
“As the electronic evidence makes clear, you had been trafficking in the lead-up to your offending … and indeed were seeking to source up to an ounce of cocaine for the purposes of carrying on your trafficking business.”
However, due to Patching’s rehabilitation efforts and unlikeliness to reoffend, the sentence was suspended on a three year good behaviour bond.
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Originally published as Travis Patching handed a suspended sentence for trafficking cocaine in orange Mercedes Benz
