Cairns man handed lengthy jail term for his part in drug syndicate

CAIRNS’ most senior judge concedes he has no idea whether a seven-and-a-half year jail term will be enough to curb the criminal behaviour of a young drug offender.

Danny De Jong has been handed a seven-and-a-half year jail sentence for drug trafficking.

• Cairns drug operation revealed in court as sentence begins for syndicate boss

CAIRNS’ most senior judge concedes he has no idea whether a 7½-year jail term will be enough to curb the criminal behaviour of a young drug offender.

Danny De Jong, 25, the son of major drug syndicate boss Natalie De Jong, will spend a further nine months behind bars for drug trafficking and supply for his part in her sophisticated drug business, which was calculated to enjoy a $1 million turnover in 18 months.

The Cairns Supreme Court heard Danny was too consumed in his own drug taking to be a key figure in the scheme, but managed her new and low-level clients, did deliveries and helped pack drugs at her Holloways Beach home.

He was paid in both cash and drugs, but his habit was so serious that at the time of his arrest in June 2015 his drug debt to his mother was $12,400.

Defence barrister Michael Dalton told the court during his client’s sentencing that this was the first time he had become serious about cleaning up his act.

He said he had completed pre-tertiary studies in jail with hopes of studying at university and had the position of block orderly in the prison.

Prior to his sentencing he had previously spent just over 640 days in custody but was on probation and parole at the time of his arrest and Justice Jim Henry handed down the lengthy term with a parole eligibility date of September next year.

“Whether what follows today is a big enough jolt to see you become a law-abiding citizen, I venture no guess at,” he said.

“I suspect you will find it a great challenge when you’re released from jail to stay clear of your associates of the past and to try and adjust.”

Justice Henry described Danny’s childhood upbringing at the hands of his mother as “pathetic”, where drug users would frequent the family home.

He began using cannabis when he was nine and was injecting methylamphetamines as a 14-year-old.

Mother Natalie is due to be sentenced next Tuesday, December 19 for trafficking meth and MDMA.

Originally published as Cairns man handed lengthy jail term for his part in drug syndicate