Warrnambool man accused of trafficking in commercial quantity directed to stand trial

Bradley Thompson, 32, faced a committal hearing in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Tuesday where magistrate John Bentley considered if there was enough evidence to go to trial.

Mr Thompson was arrested in March last year at a Boston Drive address in Warrnambool where officers initially alleged they uncovered 240 grams of methamphetamine - five times the amount considered to be a commercial quantity.

The drugs were later analysed and it was found there was actually 120 grams of methamphetamine at 82 per cent purity with a street value of about $50,000.

On Tuesday the court heard the quantity of the drugs was still twice the amount considered to be commercial.

But barrister Jennifer McGarvie, representing Mr Thompson, said there was no evidence her client intended to trade in such a quantity.

She urged the court to discontinue the commercial quantity charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years' jail.

The court heard the raid at Mr Thompson's house also uncovered more then $18,000 in cash, a tick list, digital scales and crystal bath salts, which are known to be used to dilute the drug ice.

Mr Thompson allegedly told police he used the bath salts to help alleviate joint pain.

Prosecutor Patrick Kelly said the court was being asked to draw the inference that the accused believed a "really big bag of drugs" was either not drugs or contained a "very, very weak concentration of drugs".

"It is open to a reasonable jury to exclude that hypothesis as being unreasonable," he said.

Magistrate John Bentley said it could have been a different scenario if Mr Thompson was found with one gram over the amount considered to be commercial.

"But this is double the limit, it's a significant amount more," he said.

Mr Thompson was directed to stand trial in Melbourne County Court in March.

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