Brandon Mann-Hennessey pleads guilty to supplying MDMA on Ocean St

A labourer was detained by police in a nightclub after a man he sold drugs to was found face down in a garden bed in a safe night precinct.

Brandon David Mann-Hennessey faced Maroochydore District Court on Monday. Picture: Sam Turner

A Eudlo labourer has been placed on probation after one of his drug customers was found face down in a garden bed.

Brandon David Mann-Hennessey was detained in a nightclub after a man he sold MDMA to was found heavily intoxicated on the ground along Ocean St in Maroochydore on September 22, 2023.

Maroochydore District Court heard on Monday friends of the man told police patrolling the safe night precinct the man had bought MDMA from Mann-Hennessey in a nightclub nearby before he became “ill”.

Counsel instructed by the Director of Public Prosecutions Deacon Johnston said police found the 28-year-old in the same nightclub and detained him for a search.

Mr Johnston said the Eudlo man admitted to selling $50 worth of MDMA to the man and warned him about the strength of the drug.

He said he sold that amount to a female friend of the intoxicated man after she asked if he knew anyone where she could “get on”.

Mann-Hennessey then asked if he could assist paramedics and advised what the drug was.

He told police he had drugs on him which included 1.305g of MDMA in five clip seal bags along with 0.893g of cocaine.

Mann-Hennessey outside court. Picture: Sam Turner

Mr Johnston said Mann-Hennessey told police he had the MDMA to supply to his mates so they could have “clean good s —t” rather than bad quality drugs, which was on the streets.

The cocaine in his wallet was only for personal use, the court heard.

He was arrested and taken to the Maroochydore watch-house and charged with supplying dangerous drugs and two counts of possessing drugs, which he pleaded guilty to in court on Monday.

Mr Johnston said the primary concerns for the prosecution with the offending was the possibility of future supplies and the fact the drugs the labourer sold caused the man to become ill enough to require paramedics.

Defence barrister Lachlan Ygoa-McKeown said Mann-Hennessey fully co-operated with paramedics and police and had no previous criminal convictions.

Mr Ygoa-McKeown said in a relative’s reference to the court about the Eudlo man, who worked in labouring and previously in hospitality, the 28-year-old had developed insight and felt embarrassment due to his charges.

The barrister said he had since asked for his assistance from his family, and argued the offences were not “so grave” to warrant convictions.

Judge John Allen KC acknowledged the offending was out of character for Mann-Hennessey and believed there were prospects available for rehabilitation.

The Eudlo man was placed on two years’ probation with no conviction recorded.

Originally published as Brandon Mann-Hennessey pleads guilty to supplying MDMA on Ocean St