Michael-John Teagle sentenced to 11 years in prison for multiple drug dealing offences
The northern suburbs drug dealer known as “Tiger” attempted to flee the centre of his criminal enterprise – his garage – only to be tackled by police. Inside a Tiger’s tale.
Police & Courts
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One winter evening last year police officers slipped quietly over a fence and into the backyard of Michael-John Teagle’s northern suburbs home.
At the front of the house police were watching as three men gathered in the open garage of the property – including Teagle.
As officers walked up the driveway, one of the men dashed to remove an item holding the garage door up.
An officer caught the door as it was closing but Teagle, wearing his home detention monitor, and another man fled through a back door.
Teagle, 38, darted across the back yard and launched a handful of methamphetamine wrapped in napkins into the neighbour’s yard before he was brought down by police.
As police searched the property other people arrived at the property – but were not able to give any reason for why they were there and beat a hasty retreat.
Teagle, who was known to as “Tiger” was no stranger to the police and was believed to be providing methamphetamines and fantasy to a list of customers he kept written down in a notepad, as well as on his phone.
In March last year, police investigating an unrelated trespass offences came upon a phone with messages from Teagle talking about selling methamphetamine.
Police intelligence showed Teagle had recently been involved in selling ounces of methamphetamine and was living in an apartment in Adelaide.
The messages ended with an agreement to meet at the Payneham Tavern on the evening of March 27, 2021.
Teagle arrived at the meet and sat in the gaming room – texting “I’m here” and “U far off?” to his contact.
But no meeting eventuated and after 15 minutes of anxious waiting, Teagle left the pub.
The next day police accessed the surveillance footage and had crystal clear images of Teagle waiting to meet the other man.
On April 28, 2021, police arrested Teagle at a house on Flinders St in the city.
Officers knocked at the front door but got no answer and forced entry into the house only to find Teagle asleep in a back room.
A search of the property located more than a kilo of liquid fantasy, more than five grams of methamphetamine, six telephones, three sets of scales and a taser disguised as a torch.
He was charged with trafficking methamphetamine and a commercial quantity of fantasy.
A week later Teagle was released on home detention bail to a home in Munno Para where he was immediately suspected of dealing again.
On August 16, 2021, Teagle was arrested at his home after attempting to flee police out the back door.
He had thrown three bags each containing 27.8g of methamphetamine over the back fence of the property.
Inside the garage where Teagle had been holding court police found another back containing 23.6g of methamphetamine as well as $6600 cash, a tick list and a mobile phone.
In a storage room at the back of the garage police found a petrol can containing 3.928kg of fantasy.
Throughout the house police found a cornucopia of illicit substances and items including a lone bullet, buprenorphine strips, oxycodone and more than a thousand dollars in cash.
Police analysed two mobile phones found at the house and found dozens of messages of drug dealing.
The contacts in the phone were in code with nicknames like D Man, Burn, Bruce Lee and King Dingaling.
In one message, “Bruce” refers to receiving good reviews on a new batch of methamphetamine.
A message from Teagle to “King Dingagling” says that he “needs to collect coin old mate, down south then coming to grab coin”.
During sentencing earlier this month District Court Judge Timothy Heffernan said the drugs were worth thousands of dollars.
Judge Heffernan said that while he accepted Teagle was motivated in part by his own crippling drug addiction – profit was never far from his mind.
“I accept that you do not appear to have been wealthy as a result of your trafficking,” he said.
“It was obvious that you did not appear to have any overt signs of a lavish lifestyle.
“You had hundreds of street level deals (of fantasy), if not thousands, in your possession.”
Judge Heffernan imposed a total sentence of 11 years in prison for the offending both in the city and the northern suburbs.
He imposed a non-parole period of eight years, seven months and 25 days.
With time already served Teagle will be eligible for parole in early 2030.
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