A family friend had "no regard" for the safety or wellbeing of a Canberra child when he gave the girl drugs, a magistrate has said.
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Kevin Patrick Malone, 47, was sentenced in the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday to a 12-month good behaviour order for supplying cannabis to a child.
Magistrate Robert Cook ordered the Chisholm man to complete 100 hours of community service as part of the sentence.
Mr Cook said Malone, who had previously pleaded guilty, committed the offence some time between December 2014 and January 2017, when the victim was aged 16 or 17.
The offender, who works in gardening and lawnmowing, was a family friend of the victim.
On the day the offence occurred, the victim visited the Chisholm man's home late at night.
She had already consumed drugs and Mr Cook said she attended Malone's place with the intention of having more, knowing the offender would "readily supply" cannabis if asked.
The matter was brought to the attention of police in September 2020, when the victim and her younger cousin also accused Malone of sexual offences.
Malone was charged over those allegations but maintained his innocence and was acquitted.
In relation to the drug supply, however, he made full admissions to investigators during a raid on his home in April 2021.
His lawyer, Georgia Le Couteur, referred to this on Monday, when she told the court Malone had spoken "very frankly" to police and never shied away from responsibility.
Ms Le Couteur asked Mr Cook for a non-conviction order, saying Malone had "completely turned his life around" since his offending, which occurred during struggles with drug use and mental health issues.
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Jailing Malone would, she said, only set him back by placing him in an environment with drug dealers and users rather than the prosocial people he now surrounded himself with.
Prosecutor Sarah Pitney argued against a non-conviction order, saying one would send the wrong message to the community.
"It's important that the courts protect children from this type of behaviour," Ms Pitney said.
Mr Cook agreed and convicted Malone, ordering the 47-year-old to accept the supervision of ACT Corrective Services for the duration of his good behaviour order.
"It was entirely reckless, having no regard for [the victim's] wellbeing or her safety," he told Malone of the offence.
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