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2 0 - 1 1 - 2 0 0 4 Duping friends form of abuse
Sat, Nov 20, 2004
Laurie Butler won many titles as a power lifting champion. He had used friends as “innocent dupes” to assist with the importation of pseudoephedrine.
The drug came to people in the Albury-Wodonga area who used his gymnasium marked in bottles of Vitamin B. Butler admitted yesterday in evidence that the people he involved were “basically friends”.
Prosecutor Mr John White said in a submission on sentence that a full-time jail sentence was appropriate. “Much has been said about the innocent dupes,” Mr White said. He said Butler had accepted when giving evidence that his actions were “the grossest abuse of their friendship and trust”. Butler, of Rose St, Lavington, appeared for sentence yesterday on seven charges, with six of them under the Commonwealth Customs Act.
Facts tendered by Mr White outlined Butlers involvement in the importation of 56,000 pseudoephedrine tablets. Judge Phillip Bell was told Butler faced a maximum of five years jail under the Commonwealth legislation relating to the drug importation and two years for the one charge under NSW jurisdiction.
Four charges involve the importation of pseudoephedrine, one of importing ephedrine, importing steroids and possessing steroids. Butler had recruited eight to 10 people to receive packages of tablets described as vitamins and four consignments were sent from January to April.
A consignment of eight parcels due to arrive in April was intercepted by a customs handler at Qantas mail handling in Mascot. Butlers home was searched on April 18, but only a bottle of steroids was found.
Early the next morning police went to his gym where they discovered a package containing pseudoephedrine tablets, a bag containing pseudoephedrine tablets, a bag containing various steroids and empty bottles concealed behind a basin.
Barrister Mr Jack Pappas said Butler has put at risk everything he has worked for and suggested the possibility of a suspended sentence.
Judge Bell said unless there were exceptional circumstances, a jail sentence was appropriate for drug-dealing. “He involved numerous other people in the drug scene and they did not know about it,” Judge Bell said. Judge Bell adjourned sentencing Butler until January 20 in Sydney and remanded him in custody.
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[Definitie:] "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance."
(Wilmore and Costill) 
