A former Perth private school rugby captain who tried to smuggle ecstasy into a Bunbury music festival earlier this year will spend at least the next six months behind bars.
Christopher John Loffell, 20, faced Bunbury District Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to possession of MDA (methylenedioxyamphetamine) with intent to supply.
The court was told Loffell was attending Groovin’ the Moo (GTM) on May 13 when drug detection dogs uncovered 13.13 grams of the drug in his underpants.
This included 39 tablets and 14 capsules with purity ranging from 18 per cent to 46 per cent.
Loffell, who was arrested at the festival, was described as having acted as a courier for another party, and was under instructions to deliver the ecstasy to someone else once inside the festival grounds.
As payment for this, Loffell was given a GTM ticket and was under the impression he would also be paid.
Counsel for Loffell said his client, who had no criminal record and who had been given “every opportunity in life”, had agreed to run the drugs as he couldn’t afford to buy a ticket to the festival.
The former Aquinas College student, who is currently studying microbiology and plans to go into medicine, was described as “naive” and “trusting”, and his offence had “completely devastated his family”.
“This was a one-off, very stupid mistake,” Loffell’s lawyer said.
The prosecution, in calling for an immediate prison term, said it was a serious case, and said Loffell “must have been aware the pills were to be distributed for profit”.
District Court Judge Andrew Stavrianou sentenced Loffell to 12 months’ imprisonment, with no suspension of the term.
Loffell, who was taken into custody immediately, was made eligible for parole.
