Joshua Adam Lonsdale sentenced for ‘street level’ meth supply in Newcastle

A court has heard about a Newcastle man’s spiral into drug addiction and then dealing ‘meth’ to fuel his lifestyle. After a dramatic arrest in 2021, he has finally learned his fate.

Joshua Lonsdale was sentenced in Newcastle District Court on Friday. Supplied Amy Ziniak

A relocation to Newcastle and a relationship breakdown served as a trigger for a man to spiral out of control, as a drug addiction took hold and he resorted to selling drugs to “pay off debts and fund his lifestyle”.

The court heard Joshua Adam Lonsdale, now 39, had been in-and-out of custody since 2016, a “stark contrast” to the life he led up until 31.

In late 2021, Lonsdale was nabbed by police in a dramatic arrest for dealing ‘ice’, in what was described as a “street level dealing enterprise”.

Detectives watched on as Lonsdale and another man walked from Wests New Lambton to the carpark on the morning of December 12, 2021, before they pounced on the suspected drug dealer.

Lonsdale was nabbed with meth on him, supplying drugs in a “street level enterprise”

Police facts said a bag was placed in a silver Audi at about 9am that morning before officers approached.

But when he tried to ignore them, a struggle ensued, and an officer was able to rip the keys from the ignition and grab Lonsdale before he handcuffed him to the steering wheel and arrested him.

A search of the vehicle uncovered a stash of drugs and cash, as well as an incriminating picture of Lonsdale holding a pistol with bundles of cash and a bag of white crystals.

The court heard a backpack found had more than $52,000 in bundles secured by plastic bands, while 74 grams of meth was found in discrete packaging, 0.47 grams of MDMA and a bottle of gammabutyrolactone or GBL.

During the haul police also discovered numerous bank cards and a variety of gift cards and a recycling bag from the boot of the vehicle had a large hunting style knife, a toiletries case containing meth, scales, rego plates and a drone, according to police facts.

Police also seized two phones which uncovered an elaborate network of messages from Lonsdale to clients discussing weights and prices of meth on numerous occasions between September and December last year.

Lonsdale pleaded guilty to two counts of commercial drug supply, knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime and possession of an unauthorised pistol.

The court heard Lonsdale supplied and possessed more than 168g of meth, dealing drugs on more than 30 occasions but that his operation had a “very low degree of sophistication”.

“No suggestion he was involved in an enterprise, (it was) his own operation, delivering drugs to purchaser,” Judge McGrath said on sentencing him at Newcastle District Court on Friday.

He sentenced the 39-year-old – who had just completed a residential rehabilitation program - to a three year intensive correction order (ICO) set to be served within the community.

There were conditions that he live with his father at Blackalls Park, engage in any drug treatment programs for his drug dependence, and remain abstinent for the entirety of the order.

The court also imposed 50 hours of community service.