Ashley Anne Riley pleaded guilty to trafficking dangerous drugs
A former hairdresser turned drug dealer lost the father of her children to addiction-related sepsis the same year the family’s home burned down. Things didn’t get better from there.
Police & Courts
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A Maryborough drug dealer had lost the father of two of her children to sepsis caused by his own addiction issues before she started dealing meth and cannabis, a court has been told.
Ashley Anne Riley, 34, pleaded guilty in Maryborough Supreme Court on Thursday to trafficking in dangerous drugs and possessing a mobile phone that had been used in commission of the trafficking of dangerous drugs.
The court heard meth and cannabis were trafficked at a “street level” for a period of 15 months from October, 2022, to January, 2024.
Riley had at least eight customers with at least 119 actual supplies during that period and had used her phone to communicate with customers, the court was told.
In Riley’s defence, the court heard the offending was “sporadic” and “at the very lowest end of the scale of trafficking”.
The court also heard the offending was unsophisticated and she responded to requests from customers without any efforts to expand or grow her activities.
Riley had previously worked as a hairdresser and was a mum of three.
One of her children had a developmental disorder and was receiving NDIS funding.
The father of her younger children, Nathan Briggs, had died in December, 2023.
Riley and Mr Briggs had an “on-and-off relationship” that had been somewhat volatile and he had died of sepsis related to his drug abuse, the court was told.
Also in 2023, the family had lost their home to a fire.
Her upbringing had been “somewhat volatile,” and Riley had struggled with heroin addiction in the past.
Riley’s aunt, mother and grandmother were in court supporting her.
Justice Peter Davis said Riley had engaged in drug trafficking for a period of about 15 months, primarily supplying meth and occasionally cannabis.
Mr Davis said she had supplied on credit and she kept a record of outstanding debts, but there was no evidence of undue pressure on those who had purchased drugs from her.
She had been paid about $14,500 for her dealing, but she had sometimes swapped or bartered items, including other drugs, Mr Davis said.
He also said it was accepted there were no signs of “unexplained wealth” and it had been a small and unsophisticated operation.
Mr Davis said it appeared Riley had turned to drug dealing to “make the family budget work”.
Riley was sentenced to three years in prison with immediate release on parole.
Convictions were recorded.
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