John Sutton: Dubbo man caught up in Wellington drug syndicate

A member of a regional NSW drug supply syndicate bragged about stealing 90,000 litres of water and agreed to receive stolen diesel in secret phone taps which can now be revealed.

A Dubbo man who sold 198 grams of ice to desperate drug addicts in western NSW in just one month boasted about stealing 90,000 litres at the height of a drought and agreed to receive hundreds of litres of stolen diesel.

Police arrested John Kenneth Sutton in July 2020, as part of a Strike Force Pinnacle investigation into a major drug supply syndicate which was based out of Wellington.

More than a dozen people like John Sutton, who were caught up in a major drug supply syndicate based out of Wellington, were nabbed by Strike Force Pinnacle police in 2020. Picture: NSW Police

According to a statement of agreed facts tendered in court, police secretly monitored the 57-year-old’s phone calls and messages in November and December 2019.

During that time, Sutton took part in more than 60 transactions with ice users from towns such as Dubbo, Narromine and Trangie.

Strike Force Pinnacle police arrest a man in Wellington in May 2020. Picture: NSW Police

Sutton sourced various amounts of ice from an upline supplier in Wellington, who was close to the syndicate’s alleged kingpin, and redistributed the drugs in exchange for cash and other benefits.

Court documents state Sutton sold the drug in the form of “points” which referred to 0.1 grams, “balls” which meant 3.5 grams and “ounces” which referred to 28.4 grams.

In one of the conversations police heard, Sutton agreed to receive between 400 and 500 litres of stolen diesel from one of his regular customers known as WS.

Dubbo Local Court magistrate Gary Wilson moved John Sutton’s case to the District Court. Picture: Jedd Manning

Throughout their investigation, police also heard Sutton talking to his associates about stealing water from hydrants outside the Dubbo township.

On November 21, 2019, Sutton told a man he stole 90,000 litres of water and according to court documents, police later installed a camera near a council water main between Dubbo and Wongarbon.

Sutton was captured driving a Ford Ranger near the main and in February 2020, when police raided the home of a man known to Sutton, police located a NSW Fire Brigade standpipe used to extract water from high pressure pipes.

Appearing in court from Macquarie Correctional Centre at Wellington, Sutton pleaded guilty to a supply prohibited drug charge.

After accepting Sutton’s plea, Dubbo Local Court magistrate Gary Wilson moved the case to the District Court where it will next be mentioned in August.