Former soldier Luke David Askew jailed for dealing meth

A former soldier who turned to meth to deal with the atrocities he had witnessed overseas has been jailed after he was caught supplying drugs while on bail for similar crimes.

Luke David Askew, 35, developed a serious drug addiction after witnessing traumatic incidents as a soldier and when he worked on oil rigs after his medical discharge from the army.

As his life spiralled out of control, the father-of-one started dealing drugs to fund his habit and earn extra money.

Askew was caught supplying a man with 54g of high-purity methylamphetamine at his Murray Street unit in March last year.

When police searched the drug trafficker’s home, they found 250 MDMA tablets and more than $45,000 in cash spread through the unit.

Askew had been released on bail just weeks earlier after being charged with possessing meth and MDMA with intent to sell or supply and possessing an unlicensed firearm.

District Court Judge Mark Herron jailed Askew for more than six years today and made the term concurrent with the five-year jail term he is currently serving for the earlier crimes.

He told the court Askew’s ongoing drug offending was “very much motivated” by his desire to make money and said the weight and purity of the meth indicated he was close to the source.

Judge Herron said Askew had shown little remorse but appeared willing to address the underlying reasons for his offending.

The meth was worth about $10,000 when it was seized but it could have been worth a lot more if it was cut up and distributed.

Defence lawyer Terry Dobson said his client was doing a business management course while in jail and was determined to have a normal future when he was released.

He said Askew’s life used to revolve around drinking, drugs and gambling but he was now clean.

“You go from serving your country for five years in combat and now he is sitting here,” Mr Dobson said.

“It (meth) just grabs people and takes a hold of them and ruins them.”

Askew pleaded guilty to selling meth, possessing MDMA with intent to sell or supply and possessing money reasonably suspected of being unlawfully obtained.

He will be eligible for parole in December 2021.