Christopher Stewart: Swan Hill man pleads guilty to trafficking meth to Mildura

A man busted moving almost 50 times the trafficable quantity of meth said he was finding it hard to feel remorseful for his actions.

A court heard a man transported methylamphetamine from Swan Hill to Mildura in Victoria’s northwest.

A man who transported drugs, without finding out what was inside the package, told a magistrate he was annoyed to be in court.

Swan Hill man Christopher Stewart, 33, last week faced the Mildura Magistrates’ Koori Court and pleaded guilty to trafficking a drug of dependence.

A prosecutor told the court telephone calls of a co-accused were being monitored by police in 2019.

The prosecutor said Stewart picked up methylamphetamine from the co-accused in November of that year.

The court was told on the following day, Stewart travelled from Swan Hill to Mildura.

Police said Stewart exchanged 141g of the drug with another person for a “gorilla” — referring to $1000.

The court heard phone calls between Stewart and the co-accused referred to the swap.

Stewart’s lawyer said his client was “best friends” with the co-accused and Stewart had agreed to a request without much questioning due to “misguided loyalty”.

Magistrate Rose Falla asked Stewart how he felt about being in court, to which he replied “annoyed”.

Both Ms Falla and the prosecutor asked Stewart to explain the comment.

The prosecutor said: “Were you annoyed you got caught? I feel like I’m not getting that accountability from you in a sense.”

Stewart said he was annoyed “a friend put me in this position”.

He also said it was hard to be remorseful and he didn’t know what he was transporting.

The lawyer said Stewart knew it was something illicit, but not specifically what it was or how much.

It was suggested by the lawyer that a community corrections order and a fine be considered.

Ms Falla said a fine was “well out of the question”.

She said Stewart had chosen to ignore and not ask questions about what he was being asked to do.

“I’m staggered there’s been no pre-sentence detention,” Ms Falla said.

“He’s in possession of and trafficking … just short of 50 times the trafficable quantity.

“That is staggering.”

Stewart told the court since the offending he had used money received due to the COVID pandemic to start a fencing business.

He also detailed struggles with mental health and treatment.

“I’m a complex case, which means I’m in the difficult, too-hard basket,” Stewart told the court.

“It’s going to be difficult to deal with me through a textbook.”

The matter was adjourned to June 16.

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