Teen prostitute who allegedly sold drugs to clients could dodge jail sentence if she stops sex work
A university student who was caught living a double life as an alleged drug dealer and prostitute could escape a jail sentence if a court-ordered report proves she has quit sex work, a judge has declared.
Sydney Biochemistry student Madeline Sawyer, 19, was caught in a car with a fellow Western Sydney University student Fadhil Al Khafaji, behind the wheel last October, who police say was a disqualified driver and driving erratically.
Police searched Ms Sawyer's phone and found a text message saying: "So I just bought 50 pills to sell what is wrong with me?"
When officers pulled the vehicle over, two capsules of MDMA were found in the front console, according to police documents.
While Al Khafaji said the drugs were his, the bust triggered a raid on Ms Sawyer’s home where cocaine, ice, ecstasy and a set of electronic scales, as well as $3,660 in cash were found.
Investigating her phone revealed Ms Sawyer had been allegedly selling drugs to her clients as a sex worker, as well as to other university students.
The find included 28 capsules of MDMA powder, 11 grams of cocaine and 11 individual gram bags filled with the drug ‘ice’, according to a police statement.
Ms Sawyer initially claimed the drugs were all "for personal use" and the cash found with them was income from her "employment as a prostitute".
Her lawyer Paul Meehan told Fairfax Ms Sawyer made a "big mistake" and had "done everything to put it right since".
She later pleaded guilty to six supply and possession charges and one count of dealing with suspected proceeds of crime.
Mr Khafaji pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited drug and driving a motor vehicle while disqualified.
Ms Sawyer was due to be sentenced on Thursday at Parramatta District Court, but instead Judge John Pickering requested a report be prepared to determine if she has quit working in the sex industry.
If the report proves she has, Ms Sawyer would be given an Intensive Correction Order as an "alternative" to time behind bars, he said.
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"I know you were anxious to be sentenced today. However, this is the path I have decided to go down," Judge Pickering told Ms Sawyer.
He expressed concerns of Ms Sawyer's involvement in the sex industry, as it was alleged she sold drugs to her clients.
"This report is in your interests," the Judge told Ms Sawyer, who said her fate rests in her ability to turn a corner and remove herself from working in the sex industry.
The report will be compiled over the next six weeks ahead of Ms Sawyer's return to Campbelltown District Court on August 18.