Blake Tyren James Angus and Bradley James Ferguson drive straight past police after ‘ill-fated‘ Snapchat drug deal

A court has heard how two Marsden men’s Snapchat drug deal took a turn for the worst, when they accidentally headed straight to the police investigating them.

A duo has faced sentence in Ipswich District Court for threatening to kill two men and stealing their car after their Snapchat drug deal turned sour.

Blake Tyren James Angus, 23, and Bradley James Ferguson, 19, both pleaded guilty on September 8, 2022, to two counts of armed robbery in company and one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Angus further pleaded guilty to obstructing a police officer and driving a motor vehicle without a licence.

The court heard the offences all occurred on July 15, 2022, after Angus arranged via Snapchat to meet two men who were seeking to buy drugs.

The two men drove to the arranged meeting location in Goodna, and made an exchange with Angus and Ferguson.

Angus told them they had more deliveries to make and asked the men to drive them, and they agreed.

Eventually they returned to the original location, and when the men got out of the car, Angus pointed a black replica handgun at one of their heads, and Ferguson held a meat-cleaver shaped knife to the other man’s chin.

The court heard Angus said “give me the car. You want to f*** around with us?”

The man offered him money instead, but Angus and Ferguson continued to threaten them saying things like “do you want to get killed?”

Eventually Angus and Ferguson drove off, while one of the men “pleaded with them” not to take his car.

The two men threw the clip seal bag they had received down a drain, noting the contents looked like flour, walked to a pub and called the police.

When police attended, one of the men spotted his stolen car driving past, and police gave chase.

Ferguson stayed inside the car and was arrested, while Angus fled the scene – but was found soon after hiding in a Goodna backyard.

The court heard Ferguson had limited criminal history, while Angus had a three-page history of predominantly drug-related offences.

Defence Barrister Dan Boddice said Angus was currently employed and had been sober for the last 15 months, after serving 246 days of presentence custody.

“He’s been off methamphetamine, MDMA, cocaine and cannabis – which was all of his drugs of choice,” said Mr Boddice.

He said he accepted “it’s a serious offence … even in the context of an ill-fated drug deal” but that prison had been a “blessing in disguise” for Angus.

Defence Barrister Scott Neaves emphasised Ferguson’s young age, that he had strong support from his family.

He said Ferguson had done volunteer work as part of his ongoing efforts to obtain an apprenticeship, and said this demonstrated Ferguson’s effort to do better.

Ferguson received a head sentence of two years imprisonment, suspended immediately for three years.

Angus received a head sentence of three years imprisonment, with immediate parole release.

Angus’s presentence custody of 246 days was declared time served, and he was disqualified from driving for two years.