DEALER BLAMES HIGH SOCIETY

A former body building champion was drawn into drug dealing by the
high-society clientele of a South Yarra hotel where he worked as a doorman,
the County Court was told yesterday.

Barry Alexander Kemp, who came third in a Mr Australia competition, worked
at the Botanical Hotel when it was the mecca for "Porsches, Mercedes and
$2000 suits", defence barrister Richard Bourke told the court.

In the environment, Mr Bourke said, Kemp was introduced to using cocaine by
hotel patrons, who were often professionals, as well as sporting and
entertainment identities.

Mr Bourke said cocaine provided an "automatic entree to a social group
(Kemp) found attractive at the time" and he believed he could only keep the
friendships if he supplied the group with drugs.

Kemp, 47, of Thornton Court, Dandenong North, pleaded guilty to one count
of trafficking a drug of dependence and five charges of possessing drugs of
dependence, including steroids.

Kemp began work as door security at the Botanical Hotel in 1989.

The offences for which he has been charged occurred from September 1, 1998,
to September 24, 1999.

Mr Bourke said Kemp, a communications officer, should be given a suspended
jail sentence because he sold the drug to a small group of up to 10 friends
who were all over 40 years of age.

He said Kemp's clients were mature people who could responsibly make their
own decisions.

Prosecutor Chris Ryan said a jail term was the appropriate punishment but
made no submission whether it should be immediate.

Judge Thomas Neesham said he must take general deterrence into account in
sentencing Kemp.

Mr Bourke said the Botanical Hotel - which has changed management - was
known as a regular spot for cocaine users.

"The hotel was in my understanding notorious during that period," Mr Bourke
said.

Kemp, who was addicted to ecstasy and cocaine, was also found to be in
possession of cannabis and steroids when he was arrested.

Mr Bourke said the proceeds from the cocaine sales was used to support
Kemp's addictions.

Kemp told the court his drug addictions were an "insidious part" of his
life and he wanted to make amends.

Judge Neesham released Kemp on bail pending sentencing this morning.