Man jailed for three years and nine months for forcing his five-year-old relative to collect money for HEROIN

  • The 36-year-old used his five-year-old relative to collect money for heroin
  • Footage shows the boy exchanging money with an undercover policeman
  • Police monitored five deals last year and the boy was used in three of them 
  • The was charged with supplying prohibited drugs in Penrith Local Court 
  • He was sentenced for up to three years and nine months in jail for offences 
  • With time served, he will be eligible for release as early as March next year

By Ashleigh Davis For Daily Mail Australia and Australian Associated Press

Published: 08:42 EST, 6 September 2016 | Updated: 09:25 EST, 6 September 2016

A man who used his five-year-old relative to accept money for heroin has been jailed for up to three years and nine months.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, faced Penrith Local Court on Tuesday.

The court heard the 36-year-old was living with his mother and uncle in a public housing unit in inner-city Woolloomooloo when he was nabbed in a police sting.

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A 37-year-old man (centre) who used his five-year-old relative to accept money for heroin has been jailed for up to three years and nine months

A 37-year-old man (centre) who used his five-year-old relative to accept money for heroin has been jailed for up to three years and nine months

The five-year-old boy (pictured) was used by the man to accept money in three of five transactions with undercover police officers last year

The five-year-old boy (pictured) was used by the man to accept money in three of five transactions with undercover police officers last year

He pleaded guilty last year to a charge of supplying prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis and was sentenced on Tuesday to three years and nine months, with a non-parole period of 27 months.

Acting Judge Norman Delaney said undercover police lined up five heroin deals with the offender over five days in December 2014.

In three of the five transactions, the man sent out a five-year-old relative to accept cash for the drugs.

The boy turned over the cash to the offender, who would then complete the deal by handing over small balloons containing heroin at a nearby pub.

'There is no suggestion that the young boy had anything whatsoever to do with actually touching, handling or possessing any drug,' Acting Judge Delaney said.

'It is reprehensible that the offender asked a young person living with him to go down and collect the money from the police officer but fortunately he was not exposed to any other aspect of the deal.'

The judge said the offender had form in dealing drugs but stressed that he was a street-level pusher who sold heroin to feed his own addiction, and that he 'can be rehabilitated if he desires to be rehabilitated'.

With time served, the man will be eligible for release as early as March next year. 

The court heard the boy turned over the cash to the man (pictured centre), who would then complete the deal by handing over small balloons containing heroin at a nearby pub

The court heard the boy turned over the cash to the man (pictured centre), who would then complete the deal by handing over small balloons containing heroin at a nearby pub

The man was sentenced to up from three years and nine months in Penrith Local Court (pictured) on Tuesday

The man was sentenced to up from three years and nine months in Penrith Local Court (pictured) on Tuesday

 

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