Hiep Anh Lieu spends superannuation money on heroin
A man who withdrew $10,000 from his superannuation fund as part of COVID-19 guidelines planned to get a home to share with his pregnant partner. But that’s not where the cash went.
Leader
Don't miss out on the headlines from Leader . Followed categories will be added to My News.
A man took advantage of the new coronavirus rules allowing people to withdraw $10,000 from their superannuation fund, only to blow the lot on heroin, a court has heard.
Hiep Anh Lieu planned to use the money on accommodation for him and his pregnant partner, but access to so much cash led to an escalation in his heroin use,
Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court has heard.
The 39-year-old fronted the court on Wednesday, July 8, having been charged with drug trafficking after a police chase ended in him crashing a motorcycle on May 19.
The court heard police saw Lieu do a U-turn against a red traffic arrow on a motorcycle in Mill Park about 3am before they began pursuing him.
Lieu accelerated away from police, who had their lights and sirens on, then braked heavily, losing control of the motorcycle.
He crashed at low speed before he got up and tried to run away, the court heard.
Police then found seven grams of heroin, three grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and two phones in his pocket.
The court heard the former butcher, who was not injured, admitted to using both drugs that night and was not licenced to drive a motorcycle.
Police found multiple conversations about drug trafficking on his phone, and a photo from May 10 of a large amount of crystal substance believed to be methamphetamine.
A search of his Mill Park home on May 19 uncovered tablets, deemed unknown drugs of dependence.
Lieu pleaded guilty to the charges, as well as charges from an incident on August 1, 2017, about 2.15am when he was found in a car in the carpark of Meadow Inn Hotel Campbellfield.
Police found an ice pipe at his feet and a bag containing two grams of heroin, cash, deal bags and IDs in various names.
The court heard he had also breached a community corrections order given to him in 2015.
Lieu’s lawyer said he had been a heroin user since he was 18, and had been using more than a gram a day, and trafficking to support his habit.
She said he had two children with his ex-wife and his partner was four months pregnant.
Lieu’s lawyer pushed for him to be sentenced to the 49 days he’d already been in jail and to be released to live with his cousin on another community corrections order.
Magistrate Meagan Keogh said she thought Lieu needed more intensive support than a corrections order.
“He’s taken the opportunity to withdraw some super and he’s ended up blowing it on heroin and he’s in custody,” she said.
“Clearly there’s an ongoing issue for him.”
The parties agreed to adjourn sentencing until July 23 while further assessments and arrangements for other programs could take place.
MORE: YOUNG MAN’S ALLEGED $80K CRIME BENDER
SUBURBAN FOOTY PLAYER ‘SLIPPED THROUGH THE CRACKS’