Scott William Newman sentenced to prison for dealing 18.75g of methylamphetamine across Tamworth

Judge Deborah Payne handed Scott William Newman his sentence in Tamworth District Court on Friday, that will see the 32-year-old man eligible for parole in October 2022.

Newman took the stand from prison and said his time in custody had allowed him to reflect on the downward spiral he was on.

"I look at it as a positive, an opportunity to turn my life around," he said.

"I'm very regretful, obviously I'm remorseful as well but my judgement was clouded on exactly what my offending was doing to the community, my family, myself.

"When I look back I realise it was wrong and I didn't realise how much what I was doing would affect everyone else.

"There's a lot of other ways I could have dealt with the things I was going through at that time."

The court heard Newman lost a child while waiting to be sentenced on the drug charge and had limited contact with the outside world because of COVID-19 restrictions in prison.

Newman told the court that inmates were forced into quarantine on occasion and could spend four to five days on end without showers or access to a phone.

He said he wanted to return to work upon his release and spend time with his family.

"I've done every course I can do in here for drug addiction and a positive lifestyle, but I want to give myself the extra step up and make sure I don't fall back into old habits," he said.

Newman was convicted of supplying 18.75g of methylamphetamine, less than a commercial quantity but more than three times the indictable quantity.

The court heard he initiated at least 20 drug deals and made $9050 from the sales between August 21 and October 1, 2020.

Defence lawyer Gemma Ridley told the court her client was a user-dealer and asked for special circumstances given his early guilty plea and the fact that he had been in custody since January waiting for sentence.

Judge Payne said even though the matter fell at the lower end of objective seriousness, Newman had committed the crimes while on bail for another matter.

"He went to court while he was still dealing in drugs. He has had a very difficult life," she said.

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"The feature of aggravation is significant, and I'm sure he understands now, but these drugs in the community and the horrendous effect they have on people's lives can't be improperly stated, it's so extreme.

"I accept his conditions of custody have been more onerous due to incarceration in COVID-19 pandemic, communication and particularly when he lost his child."

Newman was sentenced to three years and nine months imprisonment, backdated to January, with a non-parole period of one year and nine months. Two back-up charges were taken into account.

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