A DRUG trafficker has been jailed for six months after he was found with a loaded sawn-off rifle and ammunition in Bendigo.
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Christopher Martin Murphy, 46, was sentenced in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to 38 charges including trafficking GHB.
Magistrate Megan Aumair said the offending was "extremely serious" but Murphy's personal circumstances warranted a lighter jail term.
The court heard on June 30 this year, police located the loaded sawn-off .22 semi-automatic rifle at Murphy's home in Kangaroo Flat.
During the search, detectives also found rounds of ammunition, 32 grams of cannabis, 1.2 grams of methamphetamine, cocaine, $1875 in cash, an extendable baton, homemade firearm silencers, scales, and bank cards belonging to different people.
Murphy was arrested and taken to the Bendigo Police Station for questioning. He provided a no-comment response to questions about the drugs and firearms before he was released on bail.
The court heard then about 11.40pm on September 30, police saw Murphy speeding along Crusoe Road in Kangaroo Flat on a motorbike.
The officers intercepted him at a service station. In his possession, Murphy had 20ml of the drug GHB in a plastic vial, $395.50 in cash, and three mobile phones.
The motorbike he was riding was also unregistered and was displaying homemade false number plates.
Murphy was unlicensed at the time of the offending.
Detectives analysed one of Murphy's phones and found photos of methamphetamine on digital scales, messages about drug deals, and a tick sheet in the notes application.
In her sentencing remarks, Magistrate Megan Aumair said she took into account Murphy's diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues.
But Ms Aumair said Murphy could not use those conditions as reasons for his offending for the rest of his life.
The magistrate said the 46-year-old instead needed to work on his treatment and rehabilitation.
"I hope this is your last time before the court," Ms Aumair said.
Murphy was convicted and sentenced to six months in jail, with 60 days of pre-sentence detention reckoned as already served.
Once he is released from custody, Murphy will have to complete an 18-month community corrections order.
If Murphy did not plead guilty, he would have been jailed for two years with a non-parole period of 18 months.
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