Rita Hanna: Merrylands mother sentenced for cocaine supply, dealing with criminal proceeds in Bondi

A 45-year-old mother caught peddling drugs across Sydney’s eastern suburbs – busted with almost 40 bags of cocaine and more than $6000 in cash – has come under fire for setting a bad example.

Rita Hanna appeared in Waverley Local Court on Wednesday.

A 45-year-old mother has come under fire by a magistrate for setting a bad example to her daughter after she was caught with almost 40 bags of cocaine, a court has heard.

Rita Hanna of Merrylands appeared in Waverley Local Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to supply prohibited drug and deal with proceeds of crime.

Agreed facts tendered to court reveal on November 19 Hanna was spotted by police picking up a man near Bondi Bowling Club.

After a short time he exited the car where police found a bag of cocaine in his possession.

Officers later stopped Hanna on Blair St where she said she did not have any illegal drugs in her possession.

Dial-a-dealer Rita Hanna was convicted in Waverley Local Court on Wednesday.

She told police the man was a friend and she denied supplying any drugs to him.

Police found nothing on Hanna before locating two purses.

Nine bags of cocaine, weighing 5.7 grams were found in the pink purse and $3550 was found in a black purse.

Hanna was arrested and she made admissions, saying the cocaine was for personal use and the money was hers.

Further searches of the mother’s vehicle saw police find more bags of cocaine and cash.

She was taken to Waverley police station where a total of 37 bags of cocaine, weighing 23.4 grams were identified.

A total of $6290 was also found and believed to be the “proceeds of crime”.

On Wednesday, Magistrate Ross Hudson said while it was a “significant amount” of drugs, “in my view [the offending is] not necessarily above the mid-range of objective seriousness”.

He said he couldn’t understand why a woman “with no previous criminal history” would come before the court for the first time with this type of offence.

Magistrate Hudson referenced submissions from Hanna’s lawyer Mr Abbas who said the offending was in the “greed category rather than a need” while also speaking on the mother’s “shame and embarrassment”.

She was ultimately convicted and placed on a two-year community correction order (CCO) for drug supply and fined $750.

For dealing with proceeds of crime, Hanna was placed on a 12 month CCO.

In speaking directly to Hanna, Magistrate Hudson said it was “ridiculous” she would get to the age of 45 and think it was a good idea to try and make “easy money”.

“My point is you wouldn‘t want your … daughter [to be] given drugs by a scumbag like you,” he said.