![The man walked from Tamworth court after sentencing. File picture The man walked from Tamworth court after sentencing. File picture](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/afalkenmire/4cc9461a-de14-48b4-825d-65c9584b59a9.jpg/r0_0_4000_2667_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A DEALER who supplied the drug ice to customers in Tamworth while he was a user himself will not spend time behind bars in the hope he can "rid himself completely of the scourge".
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Tamworth District Court heard Adam Sullivan had drastically reduced his ice use after he was arrested by a strike force of police last year and was working on cutting it out completely.
The 40-year-old was sentenced to a two-year jail term to be served in the community after he pleaded guilty to supplying methylamphetamine, known as ice, and possessing a prohibited drug.
He must do 100 hours of community service and abstain from taking illegal substances as part of the order.
A charge of dealing with the proceeds of crime was taken into account by Judge Andrew Coleman in sentencing.
The Crown and defence had made written submissions ahead of the sentencing hearing.
Public defender Stuart Bouveng said in court Sullivan had been "very candid" about his drug use and he had prospects of rehabilitation.
He acknowledged that Sullivan had a lack of insight into how his supplying and the actual dissemination of drugs in the community had affected people.
"His remorse he still needs assistance with," Mr Bouveng said.
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The court heard Sullivan had supplied 70g of the drug ice, including more than 20g which he attempted to supply, for his own financial gain.
Judge Coleman said Sullivan's reduction in drug use was admirable but he still needed to do more.
He said sending Sullivan to jail "may be detrimental" to his rehabilitation path.
Judge Coleman said it was concerning that Sullivan lacked remorse and insight but said that with extra counselling he may come to "understand the impact of drug supply not only on himself ... but on the users of that insidious drug ice".
A specialist squad of police targeting drug supply in the Tamworth area - codenamed Strike Force Burtenshaw - detected Sullivan last year and made phone intercepts.
He was captured during July and August last year discussing prices and the difficulties of obtaining and supplying given the COVID-19 restrictions at the time.
He said Sullivan was an unsophisticated supplier, sometimes a "failed supplier".
"The offender supplied various amounts of the prohibited drug to his customers in the Tamworth area," Judge Coleman said.
Police stopped Sullivan on August 24, 2021, and searched his car.
Officers uncovered $13,185, which was ordered to be forfeited, as well as 0.6g of ice in a lockbox hidden in the footwell.
Sullivan had been on bail to live in Oxley Vale.
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