Sarah Jane Capstick in court for trafficking dangerous drugs

When police spotted suspicious activity at a Fraser Coast marina, a search of boat soon exposed a drug dealer’s 250 transactions worth tens of thousands. DETAILS.

Sarah Jane Capstick, 46, who was in custody and appeared in court via videolink, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and possessing dangerous drugs, an aggravated offence due to the amount of meth alleged, along with other offences when she faced Maryborough Supreme Court this month.

A police raid on a boat at a popular public pontoon in Maryborough revealed a drug-addicted woman’s meth trafficking activities, a court has heard.

Sarah Jane Capstick, 46, who was in custody and appeared in court via videolink, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and possessing dangerous drugs, an aggravated offence due to the amount of meth alleged, along with other offences when she faced Maryborough Supreme Court this month.

The court heard Capstick on January 18, 2023, Capstick was seen parked at a public pontoon at Wharf St in Maryborough.

Various people approached her vehicle, engaged her for a short time and left.

Police suspected there was drug activity being conducted the court heard and Capstick was stopped.

A search of a car and a nearby boat revealed items “consistent with drug trafficking” including “tick sheets”, digital scales, plastic clipseal bags and phone.

Police found a “significant” amount of meth (in total 22.7 grams of pure meth) during the search.

Small amounts of other drugs were also found during the search which were not alleged to be part of the trafficking.

The court heard Capstick had a street level trafficking business operating over a three-month period, supplying meth but with an ability also to source and supply cannabis.

Justice Peter Davis said for the aggravated possession of dangerous drugs, the maximum sentence was 25 years, unless it was found that the person was drug addicted at the time of the offence, in which case it would be reduced to 20 years.

“The material before me undoubtably demonstrates that you were addicted at the time of the commission of count two,” he said.

“Consequently the maximum for that sentence becomes 20 years.”

Justice Davis said an examination of Capstick’s phone records identified 23 particularised supplies and her bank records showed a large number of transactions, about 250, yielding about $55,000.

Most of the supplies ranged in amounts from .1 of a gram to half an ounce, but most were very small amounts, Mr Davis said.

The business was not a sophisticated one but Capstick did extend credit to her customers and used a form of code with them, which was basic, he said.

Mr Davis said Capstick’s criminal history, which only started when she was 37 years old and had been “prolific” since, was in many respects atypical.

Sarah Jane Capstick, 46, who was in custody and appeared in court via videolink, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and possessing dangerous drugs, an aggravated offence due to the amount of meth alleged, along with other offences when she faced Maryborough Supreme Court this month.

There had been drug offences and failures to comply to orders, as well as dishonesty and minor weapons offences.

It was consistent with her drug addiction, he said.

After reading a report from a psychologist, he believed Capstick’s pleas of guilty not only represented a willingness to co-operate with the administration of justice but also, were made in genuine remorse for her actions.

The report said Capstick was a longtime drug addicted person who had experienced the failure of a number of long-term relationships due to drug or alcohol abuse.

Capstick had provided loving care for her terminally ill mother who had emphysema, the court heard.

Mr Davis said he had no doubt Capstick would like to rehabilitate herself, but her history did not bode well.

But she had now been in custody for longer than ever before, which had both a detoxing and deterrent effect, the court heard.

She had also completed a number of programs while in prison and on release intended to live with her mother.

Capstick was given a head sentence of four years in prison, with a parole release date of May 17, 2024.

In addition, Capstick will also serve a suspended sentence with an operational period of four years.

She was also placed on probation for two years.

The time Capstick had spent in presentence custody was declared as time served.

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