Bronson Peterson sentenced for South Village drug bust

Bronson Peterson was fast asleep when cops burst into his apartment. What officers then found in their subsequent search has landed the 31-year-old in court.

A Sydney man found with drugs strewn across his unit and a cache of prohibited weapons told police he liked to party and he was unaware knuckledusters and batons were illegal.

Bronson Peterson, 31, was charged with four counts of prohibited drug possession and seven counts of possessing prohibited weapons after a dramatic raid at his Kirrawee apartment in the middle of the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown.

When police burst into the 12th floor apartment at the new South Village complex, they found Peterson and his flatmate Matthew O’Grady asleep.

A subsequent search by local detectives aided with a drug detection dog found drugs all over the apartment along with an assortment of weapons under Peterson’s bed, in his bedside table and in containers around the apartment.

“Police located 13 exhibits containing cannabis … totalling 402.7g,” agreed police facts tendered to Sutherland Local Court stated.

“The accused informed police ‘I like to party’ and that he smokes weed to help with the pain.”

Bronson Peterson. Picture: Supplied

Detectives also found a crystal substance on the dining room table which was later determined to be MDMA, located next to Peterson’s TAFE NSW student ID card.

Overall police found 0.91g of cocaine, 0.96g of methylamphetamine – or the drug ice – and 2.33g of MDMA.

Officers also discovered a large black “ornamental” baton, a black 928 branded taser, two black butterfly knives, silver metal knuckledusters and a silver extendible baton “similar in design to those used by the NSW Police”.

“The accused informed police he purchased (the knuckledusters) from the online store Wish and he thought they were legal,” agreed police facts state.

“Once (the taser) was turned on, a clear and obvious shock of electricity could be seen and heard between two prongs.”

Peterson pleaded guilty to all 11 charges and was sentenced by Magistrate Philip Stewart to a 20-month intensive corrections order and $600 in fines for the drugs.

He will be required to undergo supervision by Community Corrections, abstain from drugs and attend rehabilitation.

Matthew O'Grady. Picture: Supplied

Police withdrew two drug supply charges against Peterson's flatmate O'Grady and he pleaded guilty to one count of prohibited drug possession related to 11g of cannabis seeds on October 5.

His solicitor told Magistrate Hugh Donnelly the qualified mechanic had made many positive changes in his life since the raid occurred and had been drug-free as part of his bail conditions since his arrest in May 2020.

O'Grady was spared a conviction and sentenced to an 18-month conditional release order.