Bendigo man pleads guilty to drug trafficking, possession charges

James Field, 28, appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to seven charges including trafficking cocaine, trafficking cannabis, and trafficking methamphetamine.

The court heard on November 26 last year, Field enlisted two associates to drive him to the Geelong area.

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Field told his two friends he needed to go to the suburb of Clifton Springs to visit his aunty. The associates dropped him off at the place and returned an hour later to collect him.

The court heard about 11.30pm, police patrolling the Gisborne area intercepted the car.

When the officers asked if they had any dangerous items in the vehicle, Field produced a pocket knife.

The police then searched the vehicle and found a ziplock bag containing 3.5 grams of methamphetamine in the rear passenger door, near where Field was sitting.

Field was arrested and admitted to police that he had more drugs concealed in his pants.

Police found an A5-sized envelope, which contained two separate bags. One of the vacuum sealed bags had 251.7 grams of methamphetamine, while the second ziplock bag had 138.1 grams of cocaine.

The next morning, police searched Field's North Bendigo home and found 1.26 kilograms of cannabis contained in a cooler bag in the garage. The drugs were separated into 10 smaller packages.

Detectives also found three hash muffins, scales, and lines of cocaine at the property.

Field was questioned at the Kyneton Police Station later that day. He admitted to asking his friends for a lift to Geelong so he could collect the drugs.

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He told police he used party drugs recreationally, but he gave no comment to officers when asked about the trafficable quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and cannabis.

Defence lawyer Jacob Kantor told the court Field started using drugs in 2018 after his long-term relationship broke down and he started seeing a different woman.

Mr Kantor said despite the charges, Field had the support of his family and employer.

The defence lawyer said Field had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, and had features of borderline personality disorder and autism.

Mr Kantor submitted that Field had already spent 175 days in pre-sentence detention so a straight prison sentence would be sufficient.

But Magistrate Russell Kelly said a combination sentence of jail and a community corrections order would be more appropriate.

Mr Kelly said the charges were "very serious" and a corrections order would assist Field when he was released from prison.

Field was remanded in custody and is due to return to the Bendigo Magistrates' Court next week for sentencing.

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