Brisbane Nightclub Owner Jailed Over 700 MDMA Tablets
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A Brisbane nightclub owner was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment with immediate parole after police found more than 700 ecstasy pills and a taser at his home, back in 2020.
Stephen Hannay, 62, is the owner and manager of The Beat Megaclub in Fortitude Valley, Qld.
Pleaded Guilty To Three Counts Of Drug Possession
On Tuesday he pleaded guilty to three counts of drug possession and one count of weapon possession.
According to Courier Mail, Crown prosecutor Dejana Kovac told the court that possessing this amount of pills carried up to 25 years in prison.
During the raid on Hannay’s Clayfield home, police found 738 ecstasy pills (MDMA), as well as smaller amounts of cocaine, Methylamphetamine, and DMAA, an illegal pre-workout stimulant.
“Specifically, a further six tablets, each containing MDMA, was found in one of the bedrooms, as well as a clip seal bag containing about 18 grams … a mixture of MDMA, cocaine and methylamphetamine. There was a further clip seal bag … containing DMAA and finally, a taser. ” Kovac said.
Good Behaviour Factor In Sentencing
Justice Brown, in handing down the verdict, took into account Hannay’s decision to plead guilty and his good behaviour since his last arrest, over two years ago.
According to Hannay’s defence, he started doing drugs as a way to cope with the death of his uncle and the founder of The Beat nightclub, in 2019. The defence also stated that the drugs uncovered in the raid were for Hannay’s personal use.
Hannay became manager of The Beat nightclub in 2009.
