Elizabeth Davies, Nathan Cooke sentenced over roles in Sutherland Shire cocaine syndicate

The former girlfriend of an alleged drug principal was “under duress” when she dropped off cocaine to customers. While another ”runner” was paid in drugs to sustain his habit.

A “courier” and a former girlfriend of an alleged drug supply principal operating in the Sutherland Shire have been ordered to complete hundreds of hours of unpaid work to give back to the community.

Nathan Cooke and Elizabeth Davies fronted Sutherland Local Court on Tuesday after they were arrested in February and pleaded guilty to their roles in the enterprise.

The court heard Davies was “under duress” when she was directed to hand over 17 bags of cocaine to customers at the direction of her boyfriend and alleged network principal.

While Cooke became involved in the delivery of drugs to feed his own addiction.

Drug supplier Elizabeth Davies was sentenced for her role in delivering and supplying cocaine throughout the Sutherland Shire as part of an network organised by her boyfriend. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Agreed facts tendered to court said Strike Force Smillie was set up to investigate the supply of cocaine in the Sutherland Shire.

The alleged principal was identified as a “person of interest”, with police using lawful telephone intercepts to monitor his dealing.

Police allegedly recorded the man and an unknown male discussing the weight and cost of cocaine, with the principal allegedly selling a bag of cocaine weighing 0.7 grams for $300.

Police allege he was “directing” the criminal syndicate, court documents said.

At the time Davies lived with the man in Cronulla before he moved into an apartment in Caringbah, with Cooke also living in the unit complex.

The court documents said phone calls allegedly detailed the alleged principal and Cooke moving cocaine and cash between their apartments.

Between September 24 and February 6, Davies supplied 17 bags of cocaine weighing 11.9 grams, with police alleging they were “under the direction” of her boyfriend.

Drug runner Nathan Cooke avoided jailed for his role in delivering cocaine. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

On one occasion the alleged principal allegedly arranged a sale of cocaine with a customer and said “I will just send the Mrs down, just tell me how much”.

He allegedly called his now 30-year-old girlfriend on September 24 and told her to get three bags from the “sock drawer” in their apartment before she asked “do you want me to go downstairs right now” to which he replied, “yes black Mazda”.

On another occasion, police alleged the man told Davies, “he wants six, he’ll be there in 15 minutes so don’t f*** around”.

Police alleged the boyfriend directed Davies to drop off bags of cocaine outside their apartment, and on one occasion police gathered CCTV footage showing Davies drove her black Audi out of her garage and exchanged two bags of cocaine for $600 to a customer in Woolooware Bay.

Meanwhile, the court heard Cooke delivered 12 bags worth a combined 8.4 grams to customers from November 2021 to January this year.

The court heard Cooke was “actively engaged” in the supply of cocaine for a period of about 10 weeks and was acting under the direction of the alleged principal.

Drug supplier Elizabeth Davies was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court on June 28. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

On February 18, police executed a search warrant at the man’s Caringbah home where they found 0.9 grams of cocaine in the kitchen area, $5000 in cash and a large plastic bag containing a cereal box with 1004 grams of a cutting agent.

In Cooke’s home they allegedly found 14 small bags of cocaine, weighing 12.4 grams and $450 in cash.

The man and Cooke were arrested with Davies attending Sutherland Police Station the same day where she was arrested.

Davies was charged with supplying prohibited drugs and participating in a criminal group while charged with two counts of supplying prohibited drugs and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

On Tuesday, the court heard Davies was in a four-year relationship with her partner that was “disintegrating” towards the end of 2021 and was over when they were arrested.

Her lawyer said the boyfriend “still exerted significant control and influence over her”.

Magistrate Hugh Donnelly said Davies was “a component of an organised and small outfit to supply cocaine into the community”, noting it was a “well-organised set up”.

“You were the partner of the person who appears to be the principal, the one moving the pieces,” he said.

“Your role, even though you were the partner of that person, is at the lower end.”

Magistrate Donnelly accepted Davies was “under duress” and there was an element of control in their relationship as detailed in letters written by Davies and her mother.

However, he did note she had to “take her own responsibility” and accept her role to push drugs out and contribute to people’s addictions.

Magistrate Donnelly took into account Davies’ age, guilty plea and her employment in her own “viable cleaning business”, before encouraging her to not “go back into the drug industry, get on with your life and move away” from that time in her life.

She was sentenced to a community correction order for 18 months and she must complete 250 hours of community service.

Nathan Cooke outside Sutherland Local Court on June 28. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

Meanwhile, Cooke’s lawyer characterised his client’s role as a “courier or gopher”.

Cooke’s barrister said his client would only deliver a quantity of cocaine or meet with a customer the principal had allegedly communicated with.

“There is no evidence he contacted the customers before or after the transaction,” he said. “The people were known to [the alleged principal] … there were not previously known to Cooke”.

The barrister noted Cooke had a drug addiction and “stood to gain” payment in the form of cocaine not money.

“By the time he was involved in the enterprise, he was an increasingly heavy user of cocaine,” he said.

“It was a situation where he helped out in return for cocaine for his own use.

“There is no evidence Cooke had any financial stake in cocaine being sold.”

The lawyer noted the quantity being sold to customers and the price was predetermined by the alleged principal not Cooke, but his client “made the physical exchange happen”.

He said the cocaine found in Cooke’s apartment allegedly belonged to the man and Cooke was “warehousing” it for him.

“It was Cooke who accepted the significant degree of risk,” he said. “He was the one who risked going into the community with drugs and risked being found in possession of them.”

Magistrate Donnelly said there was a “significant police operation” in detecting the “well-organised” enterprise that involved Cooke “running” drugs in the community.

The court heard Cooke had completed 11 of 14 drug rehabilitation sessions, had been in custody for four days after being arrested and had pleaded guilty early.

“The supply of drugs into the community has obvious harm and needs police resources to detect and prosecute them,” Magistrate Donnelly said.

He found Cooke was unlikely to reoffend if he stayed abstinent from drugs and alcohol.

Cooke was sentenced to an intensive correction order for 20 months where he must undertake drug and alcohol counselling, relapse prevention counselling and complete 350 hours of community service.

The alleged principal’s case will return to court in September.