Police have charged a 20-year-old man with drug trafficking, after allegedly finding cannabis, ecstasy and almost $12,000 cash in the house where he lives with his partner and two young children.
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Brenton Ware applied for bail at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
The court heard Ware was arrested on March 28 after police executed a search warrant at his house.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Steve Repac said police allegedly found almost $12,000 cash in the children's bedroom spread around the floor in what looked like an 'obvious attempt to hide it under the rug'.
The court heard police also allegedly found cannabis in snap lock bags in the bedroom and the kitchen, 160 grams in total, and less than one gram of ecstasy. It is alleged a piece of paper with names and amounts owed was also found.
Senior Constable Repac said Ware made admissions to police on possessing cannabis but denied trafficking.
The court heard he was on a community corrections order at the time of the alleged offending.
Defence lawyer Manny Brennan said it was Ware's first time in custody and due to his young age it was unlikely he would be sentenced to a term of imprisonment.
Ware's partner gave evidence that Ware shared parenting roles of their young children. The court heard both Ware and his partner were unemployed and Ware used cannabis occasionally, around once a week.
During prosecution questioning, Ware's partner said the money police found was an inheritance they had withdrawn from her bank account to buy a car and she believed their child must have taken it from her bedside drawer and thrown it around his room.
READ MORE: SEE WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN COURT
Mr Brennan said if Ware was denied bail, there was a risk his time on remand would extend beyond an appropriate sentence, because he was a youthful offender.
Mr Brennan said the risk of re-offending was reduced because Ware would be under the intensive supervision and support from the youth justice bail program.
The court heard Ware had the support of his partner and family, stable accommodation and the opportunity for work available.
Magistrate Ron Saines said the prosecution case was strong and it was likely all charges would be proven, but as Ware was young and was facing drug-related charges for the first time, it was unlikely he would be sentenced to a prolonged period of imprisonment.
Ware's brother and partner breathed a sigh of relief when Ware was granted bail. Mr Saines said the risks could be reduced with strict bail conditions; a surety of $5000, a curfew, not to use drugs and to comply with the youth justice bail program.
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