Kade Barnden: Geraldton man avoids jail after being found with $45k in cash and trio of weapons

A Geraldton man who was found with $48,000 in cash and a suite of dangerous weapons has been spared jail after the judge decided to suspend his 12-month sentence.

Kade Warrick Barnden appeared in Geraldton Magistrates Court on Thursday for sentencing on charges of possession of stolen property, possession of prohibited drugs with intent to sell or supply, having ready access to both weapons and illegal drugs and possessing a controlled weapon.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Ross Gray said on Friday, November 26, 2021, Barnden was present at an address in Rangeway when police attended and executed a drug search warrant at 7.25am.

They found a large quantity of cash, $48,000, about 30g of cannabis and a small quantity of meth during the search.

Barnden claimed the cash came from saving and working as a cleaner, while he admitted the cannabis was for personal use and he intended to sell some of it.

Police also located a set of nunchaku and a big machete and hunting knife in “close proximity” to where Barnden slept.

Defence lawyer Gregory Chin said the warrant was executed on Barnden’s partner’s address and the 41-year-old man actually resided at Karloo with his mother.

The court was told the cash did not belong to Barnden and that he was holding it for a relative, but accepted he knew it was unlawfully obtained.

Barnden was previously placed on a suspended imprisonment order in 2015 and stayed off drugs for six years until 2021, when these offences occurred.

Mr Chin conceded that a jail term had been reached but argued that it could be suspended as Barnden had stability, had turned his life around, had not reoffended in the 13 months since and was compliant with his current bail conditions.

Magistrate Angus Hockton said he viewed having ready access to weapons and illegal drugs as a particularly serious offence.

“When you’ve got machetes and knifes together with drugs that causes me real concern,” he said.

While a term of imprisonment had been reached, Mr Hockton highlighted Barnden’s plea of guilty and the gaps in his record in deciding to suspend it.

Barnden was sentenced to 12 months jail, suspended for 12 months. He was fined $500 for possession of a controlled weapon and $600 for possession of meth. There is also an order for destruction of the weapons and drugs.

“Make sure you have the willpower to ensure you don’t relapse,” Mr Hockton warned him.