Hampton Park drug trafficker Shane Ascough sentenced to 10 months prison

Shane Ascough faced Dandenong Magistrates’ Court last week, where he pleaded guilty and was convicted of drug trafficking, dangerous driving and dealing with proceeds of crime.

The court heard that on May 4 the 27-year-old was arrested at the Dingley Village International Hotel, with police finding 24g of a white crystal substance and $435.

Other drugs and drug paraphernalia was also found in his room and car.

Ascough was then spotted him with a large amount of cash on his lap at Fountain Gate Shopping Centre car park just after 2pm on July 11.

After police physically tried to stop the car from driving away, they deployed OC spray into the car, but Ascough still drove off, potentially putting other members of the public at risk.

He was arrested and remanded on August 5 after he was stopped in his car in Dandenong, where police found 2g of methylamphetamine, 2g of MDMA, two laptops, three GPS navigation systems and nunchucks.

Barrister Matthew Cookson said Ascough had struggled with drugs after losing his job and his biological father dying four years ago.

Ascough left Cranbourne Secondary College in Year 10, and worked with his uncle bricklaying for a few years, but drugs soon took a hold.

After coming out of prison on a four-month suspended sentence last year, Ascough “has fallen right back into those (drug) habits”, Mr Cookson said.

In sentencing, Magistrate Jack Vandersteen said he hoped Ascough would engage with programs that would help him.

“You are relatively young, have a good work history and an addictive personality,” he said.

Mr Vandersteen said if he had not pleaded guilty, Ascough would have been sentenced to two years imprisonment with a non-parole period of 16 months.