Magistrate Lisa Stapleton was scathing of Jake Field’s actions, in a sentencing hearing in Tamworth Local Court yesterday, after he came under police notice and officers raided his Maxwell St home in September last year.

Ms Stapleton said there were three young children, as well as a newborn, who were exposed to the drugs, and a firearm in the home before police came knocking.

She told the court the children had a “right to live in a stable home” that was safe and clean, adding they would have been “terrified” when the police raid unfolded.

“It was a search warrant with violence,” she detailed to the court.

“Force was used, to ensure evidence was not lost.”

Police, who were investigating the supply of drugs from the home, conducted a sweep and uncovered a .22 rifle with a scope hidden in the home.

Checks revealed the firearm’s serial number had been rubbed back and removed. Ms Stapleton said “the risk of injury to persons” with a gun lying around was objectively serious and the 19-year-old’s attempt to destroy evidence by flushing it down the toilet was “laughably explained”.

Solicitor Yvonne Phillipos said despite the drug having “a drastic effect on people who use it”, it was a “very small amount”, namely 1.96g of methylamphetamine.

“He tells me that he started using cannabis at age 12 and other drugs at the age of 15,” she told the court.

Ms Stapleton said the offences Field was charged with carried up to eight years in prison. “These are very serious matters and should not be treated as trivial,” she said.

Field, who is being held in the maximum-security wing of the Cessnock Correctional Centre, appeared via video link in court but could be eligible for parole as early as next week.

Ms Stapleton acknowledged Field had “suffered a traumatic childhood”, after the court was told he was just 12 when his mother was jailed, but “he is a burden to the community until he cleans himself up”.

“It’s a prevalent drug in the community,” she said of the methylamphetamine.

“Which tears the community apart and it destroys relationships.”

Field was convicted of drug supply, possessing a firearm with a defaced ID, not keeping the gun safely, and dealing with property suspected of proceeds of crime, namely $800 cash which was found in a bedroom.

Ms Stapleton said Field was not entitled to any discount on his sentence, because he pleaded guilty on the day of the hearing, ordering him to spend 12 months in prison, with a non-parole period of three months.

The sentence was backdated to his arrest in September, meaning he will be eligible for parole in December.