Ita Buttrose's nephew in danger, court told
March 5, 2010
Ita Buttrose's nephew is in danger because of evidence he has provided about a drug ring, a Sydney court has heard.
Richard Buttrose has pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying cocaine to an undercover officer and another relating to almost six kilograms of the drug found in his Darling Point unit in eastern Sydney.
The two bricks of cocaine at the unit had a potential street value of up to $10 million.
His lawyer Martin Luitingh said Buttrose had provided evidence in further drug investigations, which have now put him at increased risk.
"Based on evidence he's already provided ... there is considerably an increased risk, not only in the present circumstances, but also after release," Mr Luitingh told a sentencing hearing at Downing Centre District Court today.
Buttrose, 36, had showed remorse by trying to make things right, he said.
"The serious exposure on behalf of the offender to rectify [the offence] is at his own personal cost."
Judge Robert Sorby rejected submissions by the defence that Buttrose's offence was in the lower range.
"Taking into consideration the amount, the paraphernalia, the amount of money, the hundreds of plastic bags sealed and ready to go - it is above the mid range," he said.
However, Mr Luitingh said Buttrose was not part of a large-scale street distribution and sold only to friends and acquaintances.
Mr Sorby dismissed that claim, saying it was very much street selling as Buttrose had been caught in a car park attempting to sell to an undercover officer.
In a sentencing submission in October last year, a psychologist testified that Buttrose was known as "the man" and his cocaine dealing led to his acceptance in the "wider echelons" of eastern Sydney society.
Buttrose told the court in October that his life was "out of control" and he had realised he had an obsession with cocaine.
He will be sentenced on March 18.
