The courts Drug pusher jailed

Press, 23 February 1978, Page 7

The courts Drug pusher jailed

At oung man tvho boasted to an undercover policeman that he was earning up to SloO a week pushing drugs from tne poolroom where he woraed was jailed for two > ears ana nine months on two drug charges by Mr Justice Somers in the Supreme Court yesterdav. David John Michael Hart, ageo 22, a slaughterman, had pleaded guilty to charges of supplying heroin to an undercover constable and cultivating cannabis Eyidence was given at the of depositions that an undercover constable from another city, using a false name, mixed among drug pushers, burglars ,nd receivers. He obtained a job a:

d;a poolroom and games: r> i centre where Hart had 3! worked previously. s| A number of persons e I called at the poolroom look--31 ing for Hart who told the ? j undercover constable to give r|them his address but not to anyone who appeared to be a policeman. •J The undercover constable d; arranged to purchase two f'sachets of heroin from Hart 1; for $250 each. The two sachi'ets of heroin were handed over to the constable by a t '< girl at the car park at the i corner of Ham and Clyde) 1' Roads on the evening of [ i [ September 24. z On analysis it was found’ ■ that tlie heroin had been; t: mixed with a considerable

; | amount of glucose and the 1 sachets contained only a quarter gram of heroin al- > though Hart had assured the • constable that it was “good gear.” i Mr C. B. Atkinson ap- > peared for Hart and Mr N. W. Williamson for the Crown. ■ His Honour said that the i serious charge was the one . of selling two containers of • heroin for a total of $5OO. I Counsel submitted that Hart had made the sale because ; he had been ordered to make ;[ restitution of $2753. j “That does not dimmish [the seriousness of the .[charges which have another ; unpleasant factor because : you implicated a girl, who 1

j'was almost 17, who largely u became involved because of ■ the affection she had for ; you.” his Honour said. I In cases of this kind the Courts had made it clear • that the personal circum- . stances of the offender ■ would not carry the same ■weight as on other offences : because the drug trade had ; .to be stamped out. The ' legislature stated that a jail term had to be imposed : unless there were special circumstances and there : were none in this case. His Honour said he would take into account that the amount of heroin involved was not large and that Hart; : had already spent more than! 'three months in custody. i