Possession of precursors for manufacture

The maximum penalty for a charge of possession of precursors for manufacture under Section 24A of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act is a fine of 2000 penalty units and/or 10 years imprisonment.

Penalties

The court can impose any of the following penalties:

• Section 10 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act-charge found proven but dismissed.
• Community Service Order.
• Intensive Correction Order (previously known as periodic detention)
• Fine
• Good Behaviour bond.
• Suspended sentence
• Home detention
• Prison Sentence

The likely penalty based on NSW Judicial Commission Statistics would be:

If the case is within the mid- range of seriousness for this offence and heard in the Local Court, the likely penalty based on NSW Judicial Commission Statistics would be a community service order for a period of 300 hours.

For first time offenders the likely penalty is a suspended sentence with supervision under section 12 of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act.

If the matter is finalized in the District Court the likely penalty is imprisonment for a period of 2.5 years.

The matter is a table 1 offence which means the DPP or an accused can elect to have the matter dealt with in the District Court. If no election is made it will be dealt with in the Local Court.