A Cringila man has been labelled a 'dealer of misery' by a magistrate while being sentenced to three and a half years in prison for multiple drug supply offences.
Court Appearance and Guilty Pleas
Carl Young, aged 65, appeared via audio-visual link from prison at Wollongong Local Court on February 3, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying drugs, possessing drugs, and having goods in custody.
Police Discovery of Drug Stashes
Court documents reveal that police visited Young's Cringila residence on March 20, 2025, to serve a firearms and weapons prohibition order. During a compliance check, Young confessed to having 'a bit of drug' inside the property and directed officers to his living room before being arrested and taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station.
During their search, police discovered:
- A plastic container behind a monitor containing 65 grams of heroin
- Two additional stashes of heroin in a spare bedroom
- A total of 75.34 grams of heroin hidden throughout the home
- 27.5 grams of methamphetamine
- 71.5 grams of cannabis
- $940 in cash
Magistrate's Strong Condemnation
Magistrate Michael Love delivered unwavering sentencing remarks, expressing the court's frustration with Young, who had previously served jail time for similar offences. The magistrate highlighted Young's 'positive attitude' towards drugs, with the defendant believing he was helping friends manage their addictions while refusing to supply pregnant women.
'Mr Young is not only a dealer of heroin but he's a dealer of misery because no person who is addicted to heroin is engaging in an enjoyable, healthy lifestyle,' Magistrate Love stated during the proceedings.
Defence Arguments and Community Protection
In Young's defence, solicitor Anastasia Socorro explained that her client was a street-level dealer who wasn't motivated by financial gain. 'He was consuming a large amount of drugs himself,' Ms Socorro told the court.
Despite these arguments, Magistrate Love emphasised the 'very clear need to protect the community' from Young's activities. The magistrate imposed a non-parole period of two years and four months.
Parole Eligibility and Remand Time
Taking into account time already spent on remand, Young will become eligible for release on parole on April 3, 2028. The sentencing reflects the court's firm stance against drug supply operations in the Illawarra region, particularly those involving substantial quantities of heroin and other prohibited substances.
