Stripper Holly Attard jailed for being a drug mule for meth syndicate

A SINSATIONS stripper claims she took to being a mule for a methamphetamine syndicate after the Darwin economy tanked and she didn’t get enough work performing lap dances

Stripper Holly Attard (left and right) has pleaded guilty to her role as a mule for a meth syndicate. Co-accused and fellow stripper Kiara Serci (centre) has been remanded over her alleged involvement.

A SINSATIONS stripper claims she took to being a mule for a meth syndicate after the Darwin economy tanked and she didn’t get enough work performing lap dances.

Holly Charlie Attard, 22, pleaded guilty in the NT Supreme Court on Friday to supplying a commercial quantity of methamphetamine.

Her only previous run-in with the law was for stealing a paid of latex pants from Sexyland.

Attard’s lawyer Catherine Voumard told the court her client had taken to using meth every day with her housemate, fellow stripper and co-accused, Kiara Jo-Elle Serci before Serci and a man roped her in to flying to Adelaide to pick up 328 grams of the drug.

Holly Attard had worked as a stripper for Sinsations

Serci was arrested in January and has been behind bars ever since, but has indicated she will defend the allegations stemming from her alleged involvement.

The man who flew to Adelaide for the drug run with Attard did so under a false name, “Wayne Kerr” and has since eluded NT Police.

Attard was arrested when she arrived in Darwin, Serci having been the target of a long-running police operation.

Ms Voumard said the exodus of Inpex workers from Darwin made “entertainment work” less profitable for Attard.

The drug habit she developed meant her job at Sinsations didn’t pay enough for her to save for her to leave Darwin with her puppy, Ms Voumard said.

Holly Attard has worked as a stripper

“The way that that line of work can be lucrative is to offer dances,” Ms Voumard said.

“The difficulty was that the market for that has significantly reduced.

“She saw her participation in the courier role as a way out, a way out of being in Darwin.”

Attard has been attacked in prison, Ms Voumard said.

Crown Prosecutor Collette Dixon said Attard’s decision to fly to Adelaide, collect drugs and return “was not spur of the moment offending”.

Ms Dixon said Attard “knew she was playing for high stakes” when she agreed to be a drug mule.

“In all likelihood, she was a courier who expected to receive some reward or payment for her services,” Ms Dixon said.

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Justice Trevor Riley said the reward Attard was to receive must have been enough for her to “risk the consequences that are now presented to you”.

He sentenced Attard to three years and four months jail, to be suspended after a year served.