Joshua Lowe sentenced over drug business uncovered after IED blast

An ex-Waverley college student who used Snapchat to run a drug supply business that police uncovered after the detonation of an IED at a Sydney home has avoided jail.

An ex-Waverley college student who used Snapchat to run a drug supply business that police uncovered after the detonation of an IED at a Sydney home has avoided jail.

Joshua ‘Josh’ Lowe, 20, from Malabar, was one of nine arrested after a police investigation following an IED (improvised explosive device) made of sparklers, aerosol cans and thumb tacks that went off at a Canterbury home on 8 June 2020.

The Macquarie University commerce student was arrested last August by a special strike force.

Joshua Lowe sentenced over drug business uncovered after IED blast

While he was not part of the IED, a drug supply business that he was involved in was uncovered following police investigations.

Lowe was in custody on remand for almost four months until he was granted bail after his dad put up $100,000 surety.

He was also ordered to check into full-time care at rehabilitation centre Odyssey House in Ingleburn.

Lowe was supported by his parents as he fronted Burwood Local Court for his sentence on Wednesday.

The 20-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of drug supply.

Related charges of his participation in a criminal group, one count of drug supply and possession of a pill encapsulator were also taken into account as a form one assessment on sentencing.

Lowe was one of nine arrested by police last August. Picture: NSW Police

In court, facts on Lowe’s involvement in a drug business operating via a Snapchat account were read out by Magistrate Lisa Stapleton.

“The offender and one other had been found to have run a Snapchat account that took customer orders for the purchase of drugs,” she told the court.

The court heard that police seized 14.91g of MDMA powder and 150 MDMA tablets found in five resealable bags at a coffee table in his unit.

Nine LSD tablets were also seized by police as well as 265.9g of cannabis, according to facts.

In court, the crown prosecutor said that Lowe was the operator of a phone used for drug supply communication and that there was a recording of him packaging away substances.

“The elevation of seriousness does come from the circumstances and the context that the offender was the operator of the account used to supply drugs as a business operation,” the prosecutor said.

Joshua Lowe was sentenced in Burwood Local Court.

The Crown also argued that an “aggravating feature” was Lowe’s planning in the criminal enterprise activity.

She said drugs were supplied out of his unit and said that a jail term was necessary because of the seriousness of the offences.

Yet his defence lawyer Karen Espiner argued that Lowe was to be sentenced in relation to drugs found in the unit, and not for any other alleged ongoing supply.

“The offences for which Mr Lowe is being sentenced relate to drugs found in execution of a search warrant,” she told the court.

“I do not accept that an aggravating factor of planned activity is present in this case.”

Ms Espiner told the court that Lowe was “not involved” in the Canterbury IED.

“That event lead police to become aware of Mr Lowe’s drug supply activities,” she said.

Police raided several homes last August over an IED blast in Canterbury. Lowe was not related to the IED but was involved in a drug supply business uncovered in police investigations. Picture: NSW Police

She further argued there was limited evidence on the dates, times and his full role in the drug supply, yet she did accept that Lowe owned a phone used to play a part in the drug supply.

The court heard Lowe and a group of friends were also charged at the time of the police raids.

“There were eight charged; seven charged in relation to the explosive device and co-offender Nicholas Sguras was charged in relation to the explosion and the drugs,” Ms Espiner said.

“In essence the brief shows there were a group of young males who had a relatively unsophisticated drug supply operation.”

His defence told the court Lowe was “incredibly young” being 19 at the time of offending.

She said he expressed “genuine remorse” and asked the magistrate to take into account his admission to Odyssey House as a form of quasi-custody.

Lowe was one of nine arrested by police last August. Picture: NSW Police

In sentencing, Magistrate Lisa Stapleton said the drug supply offences were serious and “should not be served by way of conditional liberty.”

Yet she said his “youth” and “clear immaturity“ would be a point of lenience.

“He himself was using drugs. He was hanging around with the wrong crowd …” Magistrate Stapleton said.

“He stopped participating in a stable family life through study and work … because of his own dependence on drugs.”

Joshua Lowe faced Burwood Local Court for sentence on Wednesday

Noting his time spent on remand followed by full-time rehabilitation at Odyssey House, she sentenced Lowe to 18 months imprisonment.

He was served a non-parole period of six months and 30 days backdated to last November making him eligible for release today.

He was ordered to spend the balance of his term on parole under supervision after he completed his rehabilitation program.

Co-accused Nicholas Sguras was charged with participating in a criminal group, two counts of drug supply, two counts of burning/exploding gun powder, and being armed with the intent to commit a serious offence.

He has been committed for sentence on all charges at the Sydney District Court this month.

All other co-accused are before the courts.