Caine Rootes: Dubbo drug dealer had ADHD, court told

A Dubbo builder who suffered from ADHD made “considerable profit” from supplying more than 75kg of weed, a court has heard.

The “complex” sentencing of a 30-year-old Dubbo father of two who was part of a drug dealing syndicate has been delayed until 2021 because of the District Court’s heavy workload.

Caine Leslie Rootes, also known as Caine Kilpatrick, was due to be sentenced on Thursday for his role in the syndicate which co-ordinated the supply of cannabis from the Hunter Region to Dubbo.

Rootes pleaded guilty to supplying 14.2 grams of cocaine and 75.9kg of cannabis, and dealing with $420,000 in proceeds of crime when he last appeared in court in September.

Caine Rootes after his arrest in March 2019. Picture: NSW Police

He was arrested in March 2019 when police, who formed Strike Force Bato, raided properties in Dubbo and in the Hunter Region after a nine-month investigation into illegal drug supply.

According to court documents, Rootes sourced cannabis from Cassilis man Michael Anderson for between $3300 and $3520 a pound.

Rootes would collect the drugs from Cessnock mule Jeffrey Mears and when the cannabis got to Dubbo, Rootes supplied it for $4000 a pound to panel beater Adam Carnevale who sold the drug at about $4200 a pound to street-level dealers, an apprentice and an undercover cop.

During the second part of a sentencing hearing at Dubbo District Court on Thursday, forensic psychologist Katie Martens said she diagnosed Rootes with ADHD.

Caine Rootes relaxes on holidays before his arrest for drug offences. Picture: Facebook

Ms Martens told the court the diagnosis was made after Rootes was arrested and based on information he provided about his childhood.

She said while Rootes had not previously sought treatment for symptoms related to his condition — because he feared being stigmatised with a mental health issue — he was now more open to getting help.

Defence barrister Felicity Graham told the court Rootes was “not necessarily the typical offender to come before the court, in terms of what their future prospects look like”.

Ms Graham said Rootes enjoyed the support of an unnamed long-term employer, along with his family members and partner Kylie Willoughby.

Caine Rootes and Kylie Willoughby in happier times. Picture: Facebook

“The drugs were intercepted by police for the most part …(they) didn’t make into the community,” Ms Graham said.

“Having now served just over one year and eight months in custody, Mr Rootes will be coming to the end of the non-parole period served.”

Ms Graham said Rootes was at the “bottom end of the chain of supply” and was “effectively a middleman” on par with Carnevale because he had sourced the drugs from an upline supplier and supplied them to Carnevale.

Judge Nanette Williams expressed shock at Ms Graham’s submission that Rootes was on par with Carnevale in the chain of supply and reminded her $110,000 in cash was found inside a safe police located in a linen press at the home of Rootes’s mother and grandmother.

“That’s a large amount of cash to have hanging around your home,” Judge Williams said.

Ms Graham agreed and told the court the amount of cocaine Rootes supplied was “consistent with heavy personal use or sharing with friends”.

“The facts indicate he took the cocaine to a wedding and shared it with some friend,” she said.

The court heard Rootes was remorseful and going through a hard time when he committed the offences around the time his partner had been battling ovarian cancer, his abuse of alcohol and drugs worsened and his father recently died.

Crown prosecutor Katherine White told the court Rootes yielded “considerable profit” from his drug dealing.

Ms White cast doubt on the ADHD diagnosis and said Rootes’s “objective criminality” was more serious than Carnevale’s.

Judge Williams said there was a significant amount of material she needed to examine before Rootes could be sentenced.

She said she understood Rootes and his family were anxious, and if time became available she would try to hand a sentence down before the end of the year.

The case was adjourned to early next year when Rootes is expected to be sentenced.

Caine Rootes has been remanded in custody since his arrest. Picture: NSW Police

Carnevale was convicted and sentenced to three years and nine months in jail last week for supplying 56.5kg of cannabis and dealing with $416,500 in proceeds of crime. He will be eligible for parole on June 17 next year.

Mears was convicted and sentenced to three years and nine months in jail after he pleaded guilty to supplying 32.54kg of cannabis and 3.44 grams of cocaine to Rootes. He becomes eligible for parole on December 17.

Michael Anderson has pleaded guilty to two drug supply charges and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime. His case returns to court in December.

Carnevale’s partner Tracey Gould has pleaded not guilty to knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime and knowingly taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug. She is due to stand trial in May.