MAN TO BE SENTENCED OVER CAFE DRUG DEALS

The workaholic owner of the "grubbiest shop" on cosmopolitan Fitzroy Street
was lured into drug dealing by his clientele's demands, the Melbourne County
Court was told last week.

Mr Con Heliotis, QC, defending, told the court the cafe in St Kilda was so
rundown that it only attracted trade from the low life in the area, who
hounded Constantinos Georgalas, 66, into supplying them with drugs.

Mr Heliotis said Georgalas had succumbed to the environment of drug dealers,
addicts and prostitutes.

Georgalas, of Alfred Street, Prahran, pleaded guilty to trafficking in
heroin during a 12-month period from 1 July 1995.

The court was told the 104 grams of heroin sold to three people in that
period was valued at $20,800. Georgalas had two prior convictions for
trafficking in heroin at the same premises at 83A Fitzroy Street.

Prosecutor Mr Mark Rochford said Georgalas's cousin, who had been a joint
partner in the shop for two decades, had faced the same pressures but had
not resorted to dealing.

Mr Heliotis said Georgalas's problems started when he became involved in the
cafe in the late 1970s.

Mr Heliotis said the shop was well known to police as a meeting place for
drug dealers and addicts. He alleged that, although it was not the case now,
police had been content to keep such people in the one location, rather than
assist Georgalas to clean up the shop.

Judge John Campton was told Georgalas initially threw out and banned dealers
and addicts, but soon became the target of addicts' anger when they refused
to believe that he was not involved in dealing.

Mr Heliotis said his client had been assaulted and the cafe's windows
smashed several times.

Georgalas had agreed to supply heroin only to people he knew were regular users.

Georgalas was remanded in custody to be sentenced on a date to be fixed.