A man has avoided jail for his part in the purchase of thousands of dollars worth of cocaine planned to be taken to one of the state's largest country race meets.
Hamish Mark Le Poer Trench, 42, was sentenced in Muswellbrook Local Court on Tuesday afternoon after he pleaded guilty of multiple drug possession and supply charges in August.
Magistrate Kevin Hockey said he was satisfied Le Poer Trench had shown "significant contrition" and the former Kings and Cranbrook student did not intend to sell the large amount of drugs for profit.
But Magistrate Hockey said the weight of the drugs was "quite significant" and handed Le Poer Trench a 12-month Intensive Corrections Order - which is essentially viewed as a prison sentence served in the community.
It came after defence solicitor Mark Hodges told the court his client was a "low level" player in what police uncovered and that he wanted to "get on with his life".
Outside court, Le Poer Trench said it was "a lesson learned".
Detectives were keeping an eye on Le Poer Trench and others as part of Strike Force Bunk, set up to investigate cocaine supply in the Scone area.
An agreed statement of facts tendered to the court detailed tapped phone calls in which Le Poer Trench discussed drug supply and use, on one occasion telling an associate he had "the best bags you've ever tasted".
A week before the Scone Cup race carnival, a call was recorded in which an associate asked him whether they had "enough for the races", to which Le Poer Trench replied he would - police said in the statement of agreed facts the pair were talking about cocaine.
Le Poer Trench and an associate were arrested in the foyer of Crown at Barangaroo on May 11 - Le Poer Trench was holding a blue duffle bag containing 30.54 grams of cocaine.
The court heard that the indictable quantity of cocaine is 5 grams.
The drugs, worth more than $12,500, were bound for the Scone Cup carnival, the agreed facts said.
A search of Le Poer Trench's home uncovered glucose powder used for thinning out cocaine. They also found ketamine, 104 MDMA pills, as well as 24 grams of cannabis.
He told police he received drugs as payment for some mechanical jobs.
The Scone man told police he bought drugs for personal use and gave them to friends and associates but did not profit from the practice.
As part of his sentence, Le Poer Trench will also have to complete 100 hours of community service and pay an $800 fine.
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