Klair Reid-Hutchinson sentenced in Maryborough court for drug trafficking

Forget Tupperware. This stay-at-home mum’s marketing talents were used for a darker purpose and her mobile phone proved to be her undoing.

A mum, who made money selling meth, MDMA and cocaine was this week told by a judge to decide whether her love of drugs was greater than her love for her children.

Klair Reid-Hutchinson, 28, pleaded guilty in Maryborough Supreme Court to one count of trafficking dangerous drugs and another of possessing dangerous drugs.

The mum of three shed tears throughout the proceedings, as the threat of a jail sentence hung over her, even though she had no previous criminal history.

The court heard Reid-Hutchinson sold drugs for about a month and on at least three occasions, text messages indicated the deals had gone through.

The ‘street-level’ trafficking had been uncovered when police raided a home at Torbanlea on July 28, last year.

When her phone was analysed, there was evidence of coordinated drug sales, with Reid-Hutchinson discussing selling or sourcing drugs on 50 occasions with about 20 different people.

Reid-Hutchinson was offering meth, cannabis, MDMA and cocaine and had a pricing system, the court was told, with the text messages also indicating she had access to and was willing to sell larger quantities of drugs.

The amounts discussed ranged from a few ounces up to seven grams.

The court heard Reid-Hutchinson had since been attending Bridges (a drugs counselling service) to address her ongoing issues with substance abuse.

She’d had a troubled childhood, the court heard and was a victim of domestic violence in the past.

Reid-Hutchinson had three children, the youngest just seven months old, and all three had health issues.

Her decision to sell drugs came after the death of her grandmother, who had helped raise her.

Justice Graeme Crow said deterrence was important when it came to sentencing, but it was clear Reid-Hutchinson had undertaken some efforts at rehabilitation.

When he said she would have to decide whether the drugs were more important than her children, she vehemently shook her head.

Justice Crow sentenced Reid-Hutchinson to three years in prison, with immediate release on parole.

When she heard she wouldn’t serve time in prison, she held her head in her hands and cried.

Justice Crow said he believed there was “every chance you’ll turn your back on drugs”.