How jumping castle business owner Holly Nielson got caught up in parents’ meth empire

The pregnant daughter of two Queensland meth ring leaders was well known in her coastal community for hiring out children’s jumping castles but behind the scenes she was caught up in a family business of a different kind.

Holly May Neilson, 25, pleaded guilty to five counts of supplying dangerous drugs and one count of possessing dangerous drugs when she faced Hervey Bay District Court this week.

She was the face of a Hervey Bay jumping castle business but behind the scenes Holly May Neilson was helping people get high in a whole different way.

The now-pregnant 25-year-old daughter of two key figures in one of the biggest meth empires in the Wide Bay’s recent criminal history, had her day in Hervey Bay District Court where she pleaded guilty to five counts of supplying and one count of producing dangerous drugs.

The court heard the owner of Holly’s Jumping Castles was selling meth on the side after becoming caught up in her parents’ drug trafficking business.

She sold “street level quantities of the drug” and was busted by police who were targeting the wider drug dealing operation.

Both her parents, Cinnamon Coughlan and Ed Westphal, are currently serving terms in prison for their roles.

The court was told Neilson had an “unfortunate and dysfunctional” upbringing with a father who spent time in jail for his drug offending.

Despite that, Neilson had finished school and bought her own home at 19, allowing her parents to live there with her younger siblings.

She had started a successful jumping castle business and worked hard at developing it, the court heard.

After her mother was jailed last year, Neilson had taken on responsibility for caring for her young brother, who had grown very attached to her.

Her grandparents were now living in the home that she had bought.

Judge Michael Rackemann said Neilson had allowed herself to get caught up with the offending of her parents, rather than being bent to their will.

“Caught up, albeit in a very minor way,” he said.

“Meth is a very bad drug, it causes a lot of problems in the community.

“Supplying, even in small amounts, is no trivial matter.”

The court heard Neilson did not have an addiction herself but had “foolishly considered” taking meth at one point for weight management purposes.

Judge Rackemann said he accepted Neilson had a difficult childhood, but had nevertheless achieved to a high level.

“You have set up a successful business you have maintained to this day,” he said.

“You’ve stepped up to care for your younger siblings.”

Neilson was sentenced to 18 months in jail but was allowed immediate release on parole.