A successful entrepreneur who moved to The Entrance for a “fresh start” after his businesses tanked slipped into a drug and partying lifestyle, a court has heard.
The 44-year-old faced Wyong Local Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to 11 offences for supplying drugs and possessing weapons and illegal fireworks.
His solicitor Luke Del Monte told the court Dobson was a successful entrepreneur throughout 2017 and 2018 “however a number of events out of nowhere changed things”.
Mr Del Monte said Dobson, of The Entrance, moved to the Central Coast for “a fresh start” but found himself with “ample funds but no purpose” and quickly slid into a life of hard partying and drugs.
The court heard Dobson burned through his savings before starting to borrow money to pay off other debts, while trying to start a number of businesses including an event hire and pyrotechnics company.
Dobson, of The Entrance, was charged over illegal fireworks after police searched his unit. Picture: Tuggerah Lakes Police
Some of the fireworks they seized. Picture: Tuggerah Lakes Police
However Mr Del Monte said Dobson was unaware how difficult it would be to gain a fireworks permit.
Dobson was charged after Tuggerah Lakes police raided his unit on January 25 last year where “a large amount of cash, drugs, prescribed restricted substances, explosives (fireworks) and two prohibited firearms were located” court documents state.
The two firearms were listed as “gel blasters”.
Officers also seized a taser and several boxes of “large, medium and small” fireworks.
Police seized $39,330 cash during the search which also saw Dobson charged with dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Corey Dobson, 44, (white shirt) talks to his lawyer outside Wyong Local Court where he was sentenced to an ICO for 15 months for drugs, weapons and fireworks offences. Picture: NewsLocal
He initially pleaded not guilty to 18 offences but the court heard on the day of his hearing he pleaded guilty to 11 charges including two counts of possessing an unauthorised firearm, possessing a prohibited weapon, dealing with the proceeds of crime, four counts of supplying a prohibited drug, possessing fireworks and possessing drugs.
Seven charges, including one count of supplying a commercial quantity of drugs, were withdrawn and dismissed.
“Upon arrest the accused had a medical episode (seizures) and was taken directly to Wyong Hospital,” court documents state.
Mr Del Monte said after his client’s arrest Dobson “realised he was going to die” if he didn’t change his lifestyle and quit the drugs.
Mr Del Monte said Dobson had been drug free ever since.
Magistrate Kirralee Perry told Dobson he had “crossed the threshold” where the only appropriate sentence was imprisonment.
However she said given he had managed to stay off the drugs since his arrest it was “the only reason” she would allow him to serve his sentence in the community.
“The supply of prohibited drugs in out community is a disease,” she said.
Magistrate Perry convicted Dobson of all 11 offences and sentenced him to an intensive corrections order (ICO) for 15 months and fined him a total of $2780.
She also ordered that he perform 100 hours of community service work and abstain from drugs and alcohol for the duration of the ICO.
