Alleged Carrum Downs drug dealer in court after allegedly hiding GHB in child’s bedroom
A Carrum Downs GHB and ice abuser has faced court after allegedly hiding a drug stash in a child’s bedroom and firing a gun outside a factory. It comes after the 29-year-old allegedly sent an incriminating text message to a friend’s phone.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
An alleged drug trafficker from Carrum Downs allegedly used a little girl’s bedroom as a hiding place for a GHB stash, a court has heard.
And Michael Cashen, 29, not only allegedly hid the deadly drug in his friend’s daughter’s room but was also allegedly involved in a series of disturbing incidents including a hit and run.
Cashen —who police say is connected to a “network of associates” in the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula area — fronted the Frankston Magistrates Court on Tuesday on a stack of charges relating to trafficking drug of dependence, firearms and theft of motor vehicle.
It comes after the unemployed GHB and ice abuser was arrested after police swooped on his Carrum Downs address where he lived with his girlfriend on July 31.
Magistrate Charles Tan heard officers allegedly uncovered $1700 in cash as well bags of ice and two bullets.
Cashen’s arrest came after officers nabbed his friend who lived at Skye property with his daughter— believed to be aged between five and six years old at the time— and grandmother on July 10.
Officers allegedly found a hand written note plus text messages on a mobile from Cashen with a glass jar containing 30ml of clear liquid.
“(The text message read) juice is in your princess’ room behind curtain on ground, didn’t want to leave it out because of nanna,” the prosecution said.
A video allegedly uncovered on the same phone allegedly depicted Cashen shooting a longarm firearm outside a factory on July 6.
The prosecution said Cashen also remains a person of interest as police investigate an incident where a shot was fired from an Audi sedan — stolen from Hampton St Brighton — at a Carrum Downs oval in broad daylight on June 25.
Police found the car in a Frankston street two days later, with the vehicle’s bluetooth log allegedly containing Cashen’s phone number.
The prosecution said gunshot residue found inside the vehicle is believed to be linked with the frightening oval incident.
Cashen also faces charges in relation to pinched number plates in June 2018 as well as a hit and run in Berwick in the same month where a pedestrian was thrown 20 metres and left with a broken knee.
The prosecution said Cashen, who relies on Centrelink payments, had previously been in custody.
“Multiple (of Cashen’s) associates have been arrested over the past two months,” the prosecution said.
“(Cashen) has no regard for the actions of (his) offending, obtaining drugs to support his ballooning (drug) habit.”
Cashen’s lawyer said the item pictured in the mobile video of her client was “widely available” for purchase at Bunnings and two dollar shops, but the prosecution argued it may have been modified to fire a projectile how a “b-blaster couldn’t”.
“The flavour of the video is boys being silly...there’s a piece of fruit at the end of (the longarm),” Cashen’s lawyer said.
“If he was to stay in custody he may outweigh what he was serving on a sentence because of the nature of these firearm allegations being trivial.”
But the prosecution insisted Cashen, who is a prohibited person under the firearms act, faced “quite serious” charges.
“He’s got priors ... he can’t comply with bail conditions,” the prosecution said.
Cashen’s mother offered a $10,000 surety as part of her son’s bid for bail to her address, and said she would contact police if Cashen used drugs again.
“I don’t think it’s a case of just overcoming drug addiction and you won’t have this sort of offending,” Mr Tan said.
“That is serious offending and serious offending that endangers the safety and welfare of a person.”
Mr Tan refused Cashen’s bail and he was remanded into custody.
He is expected to reappear in the new year.
brittany.goldsmith@news.com.au
MORE NEWS
FRANKSTON NORTH RACIST RANTER JAILED