by Cam Lucadou-Wells
A drug trafficker has been jailed and released on a CCO after large amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine were seized from his bedroom in Clyde.
Nathan Morgan, 22, pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court to trafficking cocaine and meth as well as possessing phencyclidine (PCP) and MDMA found during the police dawn raid in April 2022.
Police also seized $4250 cash believed to be the proceeds of crime.
In sentencing on 11 September, Judge Simon Moglia noted that the “very significant” 491.6 grams of cocaine was just short of the 500-gram threshold for commercial trafficking.
The 172.3 grams of meth was about two-thirds the commercial traffickable quantity.
At the time, Morgan was on a community corrections order.
He was remanded after his arrest.
Morgan also pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods – a police lanyard, Hermes handbag and bank cards – found in his bedroom in Pakenham in February 2021.
He also pleaded guilty to driving a stolen car on Eastlink during the same month.
Judge Moglia noted the harm that selling illicit drugs caused to young people, who like Morgan were “ill equipped to make properly informed choices about using them”.
“People trafficking at this level must be deterred by stern sentences on those that are caught.”
Morgan’s lengthy criminal history including mainly drug and extensive thefts was “entirely consistent” with supporting his addiction, Judge Moglia noted.
He had “entrenched” multi-drug abuse including a daily cocaine habit.
However, two years ago, Morgan didn’t accept the need for mental health and drug treatment.
A recent 16-week residential rehab program had reportedly led him to a “different point of view”.
He wrote a letter to the court that this was his longest period while “clean” and had “no desire to have anything to do with drugs”.
“I congratulate you for those changes,” the judge stated – but noted the first few months of Morgan’s release into society would be a “testing time”.
With the right support and effort, his risk of reoffending was still assessed as moderate to high and his rehabilitation prospects as “guarded”.
Morgan’s childhood was marred by a violent stepfather, disadvantage and substance abuse, with a recent diagnosis of PTSD.
This somewhat reduced his blameworthiness, the judge noted.
He accepted that regular stints in jail and detention put Morgan at risk of being institutionalised.
Morgan was jailed for 406 days – which had already been served in pre-sentence custody.
He will now serve a 12-month community corrections order including supervision and drug and mental health treatment.
This was counter to a Corrections Victoria assessment that Morgan was “unsuitable” for a CCO, given his history of breaching several previous orders.
Corrections reported “concerns” about Morgan’s comments during an interview.
Judge Moglia said Morgan’s letter to the court put the comments in context.
“I’m prepared to accept there may have been a misunderstanding but time will tell.”
Morgan was warned he was at risk of going back to prison if he breached the CCO.
“Demonstrate that you’re in control of a better life,” the judge urged him.
