A 31-year-old man who pleaded guilty to drug trafficking was protecting his drug dealer in exchange for drugs, the Supreme Court in Launceston heard.
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Joshua Brian Smith, of Mayfield, pleaded guilty to trafficking in methylamphetamine with a street value of up to $26,000 on December 4, 2018.
He also pleaded guilty to charges normally heard in the Launceston Magistrates Court including possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of items including a telescope, Lions Club medal, one Village Motor Inn key, one Australian Army webbing, one Gallipoli commemorative coin, one Comfort Inn key, two T-shirts, a Northern Territory number plate, a Trek mountain bike, Stihl chainsaw, Ryobi hedge trimmer, Makita saw and a crossbow.
Smith was in court on April 27 when a jury was empanelled in preparation for his trial and then adjourned. However, Smith did not turn up on April 28 causing the trial to be aborted.
"It all became a bit too real for him," defence counsel Fran McCracken said. Smith was arrested on May 24 and has been in custody since.
Ms McCracken said Ms Smith was living with his drug dealer Ebony Donnachy and supplying protection in exchange for drugs.
"He would receive payment depending on the level of protection," she said.
Police raided a property in King Street, Mayfield, looking for a stolen motorcycle.
Crown prosecutor Claire Darvell said Smith, Ms Donnachy and three visitors including Scott Stewart and Aaron Greenwood were present.
She said Smith tried to hide a ziplock bag in his shorts.
The bag contained 26.4grams of ice of trafficable purity worth $13,200 to $26,000. "It is the state's case that he trafficked by concealing it and hiding it in his shorts and that he believed that Mr Greenwood intended to sell it," Ms Darvell said.
After his arrest police found 0.1 grams of ice in his wallet in a search at the police station.
She said that Smith had momentary possession of a bolt action rifle when handed to him by Scott Stewart who had five firearms.
Ms Darvell said Smith had a number of prior drug and offences and was sentenced to a wholly suspended six-week jail term in February 2018.
Ms McCracken submitted that Smith should be assessed for a drug treatment order - an alternative sentence that enables offenders to avoid jail as long as they undergo drug treatment.
She did not object to the activation of the six-week jail sentence from 2018.
Acting Justice David Porter said he was overly enthusiastic about a drug treatment order.
He remanded Smith in custody while a screening assessment was prepared.
Sentencing will be on August 18 at 4.15pm.