Court hears dealer’s dad tried to drown him as baby

Zachary Stallan's exposure to a hard life began when his father attempted to drown him shortly after he was born, the court was told.

Zachary Drew Neil Stallan pleaded guilty to a series of drug charges in Maryborough Supreme Court.

BEFORE he was a drug dealer offering 'Christmas specials', threatening late payers and supplying his teen girlfriend with meth, Zachary Drew Neil Stallan was a traumatised kid.

Details of a childhood marred by violence and abuse were read out in Maryborough Supreme Court on Wednesday where Stallan, 22, pleaded guilty to a series of drug offences, including trafficking 30 charges of supplying.

He also pleaded guilty to supplying his underage girlfriend with marijuana and meth.

His offending was uncovered when police searched his home and found his mobile phone.

It revealed Stallan was in the business of trafficking drugs, including marijuana, meth, oxycodone and diazepam.

He mainly dealt marijuana and had provided 253 grams for about $6000 over 17 months.

He had supplied drugs to more than 30 customers, the court was told.

Stallan would threaten people who failed to pay when he supplied drugs "on credit", increased prices during the Commonwealth Games and offered specials over the Christmas period, the court heard.

The Hervey Bay man's exposure to a hard life began when his father attempted to drown him shortly after he was born, the court was told.

His mother, who was 17 when she gave birth, stopped his father from finishing what he had started.

Stallan's parents had separated and his mother later become involved with another man, with whom she would have eight more children.

His stepfather was a "severe alcoholic" and was violent towards he and his mother, the court heard.

He would regularly return home from school and see his mother bearing the signs of domestic violence.

The court heard that on one occasion, Stallan woke to the sounds of an argument and then a gunshot.

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His stepfather had shot his mother through her hand.

Stallan was also targeted by his stepfather, who used power cords to hit him, as well as punching and kicking him.

Stallan turned to glue sniffing to cope with the abuse and was later removed into foster care where he was in share accommodation with older children.

It was there he was introduced to marijuana.

The court heard Stallan was a functional illiterate who had needed his girlfriend's help when it came to composing the messages on the phone that was used for drug dealing.

Judge Ann Lyon said the deprived life Stallan had led was "appalling".

She said she wanted to give him the opportunity to turn his life around, but warned that even given his terrible start to life, it was likely he wouldn't be given the chance to stay out of jail again.

Stallan was sentenced to three years in jail, wholly suspended with an operational period of five years.

He was also placed on three years' probation, during which he would need to undergo drug testing as well as psychological examination and treatment.

Convictions were recorded.

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