Nathan Wade Smith, 31, pleaded guilty to six charges in Gladstone District Court on Monday

After the breakdown of his marriage and the loss of his job, a Central Queensland man turned to meth and began a stint of serious offending. Full details here.

A Central Queensland miner turned to meth and ended up punching a police officer in the face while high, after his marriage broke down, a court heard.

Nathan Wade Smith, 31, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on Monday to six charges including supplying schedule one dangerous drugs.

Crown prosecutor Geoffrey Wong told the court Smith was observed by police around 1.45am on June 7 this year.

“He was observed riding a motorbike with a passenger, despite not being the holder of a driver’s license, dropping off an individual at an address,” Mr Wong said.

“When the defendant saw police he dropped his motorbike and ran up a driveway, away from police, which forced officers to give chase.

“He then punched an officer in the face before being arrested.”

A court heard that once arrested, Smith made admissions to smoking methamphetamine that night, supplying someone with 0.9 grams of the drug and having a quantity of it on him.

Seized during a subsequent search of Smith was 0.9 grams of methamphetamine and a phone which contained messages related to the supply of the drug.

Mr Wong said Smith was on parole for a wounding offence and had been released just 12 days before the offending.

Smith’s defence lawyer Jordan Ahlstrand said his client’s marriage, which ended in 2016, coupled with his loss of employment at a Central Queensland mine in 2020 culminated in heavy methamphetamine use.

“Your Honour will note he is a man who has an extensive criminal history, but most of the offending arises after 2016 where he has commenced using that terrible schedule one drug substance,” he said.

Judge Catherine Muir said despite the steps Smith had taken while in pre-sentence custody, his offending was of a serious nature.

“You were on parole and in breach of a suspended sentence, so in that sense I accept the submission it is serious criminal offending,” she said.

“You have made it very difficult for Judges like me, because we have to keep imposing longer periods of imprisonment on you.”

Smith was convicted and sentenced to seven months imprisonment, however, immediately released on parole due to 167 days of pre-sentence custody served. Convictions were recorded.