Kevin Brian Burns, 58, fronted Wagga District Court on Tuesday for sentencing on three charges, including two counts of supplying ice and one count of participating in criminal activity with the Rebels. 

Police began investigating Burns in late 2015 after they received information that he was involved in the widespread trafficking and distribution of ice to various locations around the Riverina, south-west NSW, and the ACT. 

A strike force was established, and further investigation led police to discover Burns was trading ice for “non-drug commodities”, knowing his buyer would on-sell the drugs. 

Burns supplied the buyer with an ounce of ice on one occasion and another 55.7 grams on a second occasion. 

In court on Tuesday, defence barrister Sue Kluss argued the criminality of Burns’s actions was lessened because he acted as more of a “conduit” in the drug trade. 

“There’s no doubt that all matters pertaining to the supply of [ice] are serious, objectively serious, but it’s my respectful submission that these matters would fall towards the lower end,” Ms Kluss said.

“Mr Burns had an integral part in the transactions, however, his role was more of introducing people than being the actual dealer, as it were.” 

Burns wrote a letter of apology to the court, but Crown prosecutor Andrew Hanshaw successfully argued it did not prove his remorse.

“We see all this material before the court saying he’s sorry for what he’s put his family through, but there’s no mention of what he’s put the community through,” he said. 

Judge Gordon Lerve sentenced Burns to two years and six months’ jail to be served by way of an intensive correction order.

He is prohibited from having any contact with members of any outlaw motorcycle gangs. 

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