Colm Patrick Francis O’Hare jailed after drug dealing to pay off suspected murder victim Trevor King’s debt

A former boxer reverted back to dealing drugs after he was bashed and told he needed to pay back the $200,000 debt of suspected murder victim Trevor King.

A father-of-five reverted back to dealing drugs after he was assaulted and told he needed to pay back the $200,000 debt of suspected murder victim Trevor King.

Colm Patrick Francis O’Hare, 47, was jailed for eight years after years earlier stealing Mr King’s car which he was unaware was full of drugs and cash.

During sentencing, the District Court heard O’Hare was pulled over by police while riding a Ducati motorcycle in April 2022.

After searching his backpack police found $20,000 in cash, 218g of mixed methamphetamine and 130g of GHB.

A search of O’Hare’s house found further GHB and a tick list.

Colm O'Hare pleaded guilty to two counts of commercial drug trafficking. Picture: Facebook

The court heard he reverted back to dealing drugs after being assaulted over a debt belonging to suspected murder victim Trevor King. Picture: Facebook

The court heard the methamphetamine was worth up to $150,000, while the GHB was worth up to $4500.

O’Hare, of Hackham, pleaded guilty to two counts of commercial drug trafficking, with the court hearing he had multiple prior convictions.

The court heard the evening before one of his arrests in 2017, O’Hare purchased methamphetamine from his regular dealer as he knew Trevor King, who owed him money for a car sale, would likely be present.

Mr King offered him drugs instead, with O’Hare refusing and saying he would returning the next morning for the $2000.

The next morning Mr King was not there but his associate ‘old mate’ offered O’Hare drugs as payment again, which was refused and O’Hare instead took Mr King’s car as leverage.

“Frantic telephone calls followed from ‘old mate’ in which you were threatened to return cash and drugs, drugs owned by him and which he said were stored in the car,” Judge Carmen Matteo said.

The court heard O’Hare was on his way to return the drugs when he was apprehended by police.

“While you were in prison, Trevor King died,” Judge Matteo said.

“Trevor King’s death is considered by police to be suspicious.”

Mr King was found dead in the water at West Lakes in January 2020.

Police initially ruled out any suspicious activity, declaring it an overdose. However, his mobile phone remained active in the area.

Police now believe his death was staged to look like an overdose.

Trevor King.

“Police attended upon you and told you that you were fortunate given the circles in which you had been moving,” Judge Matteo said.

The court heard after O’Hare was released on parole he was informed in January 2022 that he still owed a $200,000 debt for drugs and cash from Mr King’s car.

“And by using force imposed upon you to repay that debt by couriering drugs and cash in the Hackham area,” he said.

“The group for whom you were providing services had to have been organised and operating as a profitable syndicate.”

The court heard O’Hare, who was born in Ireland, was a successful boxer until a knee injury at 19 caused him to turn to drugs.

Judge Matteo said it was unfortunate that the debt followed O’Hare and interfered with his efforts to live a drug free life.

She sentenced O’Hare to eight years jail, with a non-parole period of six years and five months.

The sentence was backdated to April 11, 2022.

Originally published as Colm Patrick Francis O’Hare jailed after drug dealing to pay off suspected murder victim Trevor King’s debt