‘Promising’ former Gympie boxer sells meth to cop

Mark Hanson turned to drugs after his career abruptly ended when he was stabbed in the kidney

Former boxer Mark David Hanson pleaded guilty in Gympie District Court to one charge of supplying a dangerous drug after he sold .253g of methamphetamine to an undercover police officer.

A former boxer who once had a "promising career" has avoided a stint behind bars for selling methamphetamines to an undercover police officer.

Gympie District Court heard Mark David Hanson sold five clip-seal bags of the drug to the officer in a deal at his Gympie house on July 17, 2019.

The bags were kept in a container Hanson had tucked away inside an old sock.

Hanson's defence barrister said his 52-year-old client had a "promising career" as a professional boxer at the turn of the century but it came to an abrupt end when he was stabbed in the kidney.

The Gympie man then turned to drugs, which led him into legal trouble soon after which included a three-month suspended jail sentence in 2007 and further offences in 2015.

Hanson was warned by the judge any further missteps were likely to land him behind bars.

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However Hanson's barrister said the latest offence had been the only time his client had ever sold drugs to another person.

"It's an isolated offence," he said.

Judge Jennifer Rosengren accepted Hanson's guilty plea to one charge of supplying the drug but warned him he was on his last legal legs given his history.

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"You're going to be spending a lot of time in prison if you don't stop," she said.

"You clearly have some drug problems that need to be addressed."

Hanson was given a one-year jail sentence with immediate parole and a stern warning from the Judge about what would happen if he "put one foot out of place".

"You will go straight to jail," she said.

Originally published as ‘Promising’ former Gympie boxer sells meth to cop