Joseph Cochrane, AKA Shrek, sentenced for Wellington drug syndicate role

A man who collected a delivery for the alleged kingpin of a major drug syndicate in regional NSW got “mixed up with the wrong crowd”, a court heard.

A man known as Shrek, who kept tabs on police and collected a drug delivery for the alleged kingpin of a major criminal group in regional NSW has been sentenced for his role in the syndicate.

Wellington man Joseph Thomas Cochrane, 33, was arrested in September 2020, as part of the Strike Force Pinnacle investigation into a syndicate which was sourcing drugs from Sydney and selling them across western NSW.

Cochrane appeared in Dubbo Local Court on Thursday, where he was convicted of participating in a criminal group and using a weapon contrary to a prohibition order.

Wellington man Joseph Cochrane pleaded guilty to a criminal group participation charge. Picture: Facebook/Joe Shrek Cochrane

According to a statement of agreed facts tendered in court, Cochrane’s role in the syndicate involved using a scanner to listen to police radio systems and monitoring when police were on the road between Wellington and Sydney.

Details about what was overheard were later exchanged between Cochrane and the alleged kingpin of the syndicate, Kyle Thompson, according to the tendered statement.

In June 2019, police who were secretly monitoring communication between members of the syndicate allegedly overheard a conversation between Mr Thompson and his supplier who discussed a drug delivery driver going to a destination referred to as “Shrek’s”.

According to court documents, “Shrek” was Cochrane’s nickname and after the call finished he took possession of an unknown quantity of drugs and agreed to meet up with Mr Thompson to hand it over.

Later, when police arrested Cochrane, they searched his home where they found a slingshot and container with small balls in it a dressing table and a homemade stun gun was also retrieved from a locked garage.

Information would be exchanged between Cochrane and the alleged kingpin of the syndicate, who was partly responsible for arranging the delivery of drugs from Sydney to Wellington, the tendered statement said.

Cochrane’s involvement in the syndicate became more obvious to police in June 2019 when he met a driver who was dropping off drugs in Wellington.

Joseph Cochrane appeared relieved in Dubbo Local Court after he was told he would not spend more time behind bars. Picture: Ryan Young

In Dubbo Local Court on Thursday, defence barrister Sheridan Goodwin said Cochrane had “clearly gotten mixed up with the wrong” crowd.

“He was also on ice at the time, he’s now off the drugs … he has a job lined up with his brother’s business in Dubbo,” she said.

After noting Cochrane was entitled to a discount because he pleaded guilty early, Magistrate Roger Prowse slammed prosecutors who he said had negotiated a set of agreed facts “so sparse you would actually have to get the SES to find some”.

“Your record shows that you’ve been offending in a variety of ways since 2006,” he said to Cochrane who the court was told had convictions for assault, drug possession, intimidation and other offences.

“Not only were you trusted, it’s also clear that on occasions you were an integral part of the syndicate.

“You weren’t just a mere foot soldier or courier … you were a trusted member of the syndicate.”

Magistrate Prowse added that slingshots were not “just a nothing weapon”.

“Slingshots are actually very powerful, useful weapons,” he said.

“David used one to knock off Goliath, that’s how effective they are.”

Cochrane was convicted and sentenced to 18 months behind bars which was backdated to when he was first remanded in custody on September 15, 2020.

A non-parole period of nine months and three days was imposed, which meant Cochrane could remain in the community on parole because he got bail and was released from custody on June 17 this year.