Elia Morisio: Bankstown man sentenced for dealing cocaine, MDMA at Bondi Beach

A young dad selling cocaine on the streets of Bondi just weeks after his baby was born has faced a grave warning from a magistrate.

A man with a child “literally weeks old” was sprung on Bondi streets selling cocaine and MDMA to support his young family, a court has heard.

Elia Morisio, 27, of Bankstown, was sentenced for cocaine and MDMA supply on Wednesday at Waverley Local Court.

According to facts tendered to court about 10pm on March 12 at Bondi Beach plain clothes police patrolling drug activity observed Morisio acting strangely.

He was seen watching a particular car while “constantly messaging and calling,” the facts state.

About 10.30pm police saw Morisio – who was parked in a Hyundai on Campbell Pde – let another man into the front passenger seat only to leave and walk away a few moments later.

Morisio with his lawyer outside court.

Recognising ‘dial-a-dealer’ behaviour, police stopped the man who immediately told them he had purchased six capsules of MDMA and revealed Snapchat messages which “clearly detailed the arrangements for the transaction”.

Police then stopped Morisio and searched his car, discovering a David Jones bag containing 22 clear capsules of brown and clear crystals and six bags of brown and white crystal powder weighing 7.81g.

The man appeared at Waverley Local Court.

Police also found a container with seven resealable bags of brown and white crystals weighing 4.4g and another tupperware container containing the same substance.

Police discovered $180 believed to be from the transaction in the car, court documents state.

Morisio admitted to police he had cocaine and MDMA in his possession and explained it was the first transaction for the night, before he was arrested and taken to Waverley police station.

Morisio’s lawyer told the court while such crimes were “very prevalent” in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, the young man had joined the drug trade because he was “desperate” as the family’s sole breadwinner and was only receiving inconsistent work.

“It was just a mad decision, an opportunistic decision,” the lawyer said.

The court heard Morisio now had a full-time job in the mining industry.

Magistrate Ross Hudson acknowledged the “sheer desperation” and said the Morisio’s decision to “ridiculously and stupidly” supply drugs had supported the dark trade destroying lives.

“The court’s patience is really coming to an end,” he said.

Morisio was sentenced to a two-year conditional release order without conviction.