Matthew Brett Lanyon, 28, of Baulch Crescent, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to possessing a prohibited weapon and cannabis and trafficking cannabis and amphetamines.

He will have to serve four months in jail. The sentence includes a previously suspended three-month jail term for driving offences. 

Lanyon has appealed against the severity of the penalty. He was released on bail until a hearing in the Warrnambool County Court. 

Lanyon’s co-accused failed to appear in court last week and a warrant was issued for her arrest.

Police raided Lanyon and his partner’s home on June 28 last year.

They located 52 grams of cannabis, 243 deal bags, a tick list, cannabis seeds, a blender, two sets of scales and four mobile telephones.

Lanyon admitted to trafficking cannabis. He said he bought cannabis for his partner so she didn’t have to associate with drug dealers.

He would then give her half the drugs and sell the rest to friends to fund her use.

Lanyon claimed to not use amphetamines or cannabis. He said family connections led to him being pressured into selling amphetamines.

On July 2 last year Lanyon rode a bike to an ATM in Port Fairy, then visited someone who owed him money. 

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Paul Harris said that while there Lanyon had “copped a flogging”. 

During the bashing, an extendable baton was taken from Lanyon and used to beat him.

The men responsible have since been jailed.

Defence counsel Ian Pugh said Lanyon had tried to help his partner but didn’t do himself any favours, he had not sought to profit from his drug dealing and his father had a heart condition.

“He was glad when police came knocking. It gave him an opportunity to get out of a violent world and he never wants to have anything to do with drugs again,” Mr Pugh said.

Magistrate Peter Mellas said Lanyon had voluntarily become involved in the sale of amphetamines and cannabis. 

He said there may not have been a significant financial gain but Lanyon didn’t have to put his hand in his pocket to support his partner’s habit.

The magistrate said Lanyon sold drugs which were extremely harmful and destructive to the community and those who trafficked drugs could expect to go to jail.

Mr Mellas said an aggravating feature of the offending was that it was committed while Lanyon was on a suspended jail sentence.