Phillip Silverthorne: Top End dad jailed for role in cross-border cannabis operation

A Top End man with a long history of offending waltzed into a residence midway through a police search warrant and was caught red-handed doing dodgy drug deals, a court has heard.

Phillip John Silverthorne, 43. Picture: Facebook

A Top End father-of-four’s role in a cross-border cannabis importation scheme was revealed when he accidentally crashed a police search warrant while clutching a brown paper bag containing nearly $42,000, a court has heard.

Phillip John Silverthorne, 43, and Adelaide construction worker Harley Ngaronoa, 37, pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory to a charge of supplying a commercial quantity of cannabis.

At some point prior to November 8 last year, Ngaronoa sourced 30 pounds (13.6kg) from South Australia and drove it to an Airbnb in Palmerston, where he and Silverthorne set up business.

On November 17, police swooped, executing a search warrant on the Airbnb, where they discovered Ngaronoa with a 16-year-old boy, Chief Justice Michael Grant told Silverthorne’s sentencing hearing on May 23.

They seized 13.6kg of cannabis, “multiple” mobile phones, $24,000 cash, unused clipseal bags, a drug ledger and three motor vehicles.

Midway through the search warrant, Silverthorne and his six-year-old son arrived, the defendant in possession of a brown paper bag containing about $42,000 cash.

Chief Justice Michael Grant. Picture: File

Silverthorne and Ngaronoa were both arrested and placed on remand.

A subsequent search warrant at Silverthorne’s full-time residence uncovered a small, additional quantity of cannabis, digital scales, and cryovac bags.

Chief Justice Grant told the court that although there was “nothing to prove or suggest that [Silverthorne was] the principal player in the commercial enterprise,” balanced against that was the significant quantity of the drug involved.

Further weighing against Silverthorne was his “extensive criminal record which includes relevant offences,” Chief Justice Grant said.

“This most recent incident suggests – or gives at least some cause for concern – that you may not be capable of long-term reform and rehabilitation,” he said.

The court heard that Silverthorne, a father-of-four who was born and raised in Darwin, leaving school in Year 9, began smoking cannabis at the age of 11.

“That use increased steadily over the course of your life. You were a heavy user of cannabis at the time of your arrest,” Chief Justice Grant said.

Silverthorne was sentenced to two years and 10 months’ imprisonment, of which he must serve a minimum of 50 per cent before being eligible for parole.

“I suspect, given the circumstances in prison at the moment and if you behave yourself, you will have no difficulty achieving parole at the earliest time,” Chief Justice Grant said.

The $66,865.20 in cash was forfeited to the Crown.

Ngaronoa was also sentenced to two years and 10 months’ imprisonment, but his sentence was ordered to be suspended after serving 12 months.