Bernard Whelan, 28, of Murray Street, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to possessing and trafficking ice. 

He was sentenced to three months’ jail and placed on a 12-month community corrections order with conditions he do 200 hours of unpaid community work as well as treatment and rehabilitation. 

He has spent 102 days on remand in custody. 

Lawyer Alex McCulloch said his client lived with a co-accused, who was actively trafficking drugs from their property. He said there was no evidence of Whelan trafficking. 

On August 3 a search warrant executed at Whelan’s home located 32 grams of ice and a small amount of cash. The co-accused will appear in court in January.

Meanwhile, a convicted drug dealer was sentenced to seven days’ jail after he was caught with ice just weeks after being released from prison.

Mark Joseph Alberts, 28, of Botantic Road, Warrnambool, pleaded guilty to possessing ice. 

He was released from jail in September after serving 60 days for drug-related matters. He was placed on a community corrections order, which the new offending breached.

On October 16 Alberts was observed leaving a Kelp Street address known to be associated with drugs. He jumped into the rear passenger seat of a Holden Commodore, which was intercepted by police. 

A search of the vehicle located 1.33 grams of ice in a zip lock bag that was wedged between the back seat where he was sitting. 

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