A drug dealer who threw shards of ice out of his car window as he was followed by police has learnt his fate.
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Horsley man Evren Agdiran faced Wollongong Local Court this week for sentencing after pleading guilty in April to drug supply, two counts of drug possession, having a knife in a public place, and driving unlicensed.
Late on the night of June 17 last year, police officers patrolling in Unanderra came across a silver Volkswagen with its registration expiring that day so they followed it south on the Princes Highway, turning on their flashing lights when they saw it driving erratically.
The car's left blinker then went on and it pulled to the left before the right blinker flickered and it jolted to the right
It then turned into Orangegrove Avenue and lurched partially onto the wrong side of the road before coming to stop at the kerb.
The police officers approached the car and saw Agdiran, the driver, push a crystallised substance out of the window and into the cavity of the door.
They also spotted crystallised rocks on the window sill and in the driver's footwell.
Police handcuffed Agdiran and got him out of the vehicle.
Agdiran had a glass pipe in his waistband which contained a melted substance that appeared to be methamphetamine, as well as a resealable bag of a crystallised substance in his jacket pocket.
In the car the officers found a container also holding a crystallised substance, and recovered more of the substance from the door, driver's footwell, centre console, dash and rear footwell.
They also discovered a large hunting-style knife with a 30-centimetre blade, and a bag containing a wallet and another resealable bag of the substance.
Agdiran admitted to owning the smaller of the two resealable bags, which he said contained ice, but denied knowledge of the larger bag.
Police retraced Agdiran's journey a short distance and found large shards of the crystallised substance on the road at the intersection of Orangegrove Avenue and the highway, which Agdiran had thrown out of the car as he was driving.
They seized Agdiran's car and later inspections recovered more of the substance from the door cavity.
Tests revealed the crystallised substance, which came to a total of 24.43 grams, was meth.
Agdiran was also not supposed to have been driving, his licence having been cancelled two months prior after a six-month disqualification period.
In court this week, defence lawyer Matt Ward said his client had spent two months and 15 days in custody, as well as one month in rehabilitation facility Odyssey House.
Mr Ward said the 42-year-old was also involved in other rehabilitation programs and had the support of his parents, with his mother attending court with him.
Magistrate Claire Girotto said Agdiran's drug supply and knife charges warranted a term of imprisonment, but found he could serve that in the community by way of a six-month intensive corrections order involving supervision and rehabilitation.
Magistrate Girotto started at a sentence of 12 months, but gave a discount for Agdiran's guilty pleas and took into account the time he had already spent in custody.
She also put Agdiran on a two-year community corrections order, again with supervision, and banned him driving for a year.
Agdiran was also fined $250.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
