Mandy Jane Micheelsen and Jacob Neil O’Keefe front Ipswich Court for drug possession

The parents of two teenage children have fronted court after police found a stash of cash and cannabis worth more than $60,000 at their Ipswich home.

Mandy Jane Micheelsen and Jacob Neil O’Keefe leaving the Ipswich Courthouse on November 3, 2022. Picture: Nicola McNamara

A court has heard how local tip-offs of cannabis dealing led police to the door of Ipswich parents, who were hiding $10,000 bundles of cash and more than 1kg of cannabis.

Mandy Jane Micheelsen, 43, and Jacob Neil O’Keefe, 39, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court on November 3 to possessing dangerous drugs (schedule 2, with a quantity exceeding schedule 3), two counts of possessing anything used in the commission of a crime, and possessing property suspected of having been acquired for the purpose of a drug offence.

O‘Keefe further pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of restricted drugs and two counts of possessing dangerous drugs.

The court heard the police searched the couple’s Brassell house in June, 2021, after receiving reports of cannabis dealing in the area and messages suggesting their house would be the location of a cannabis drop.

Inside the couple‘s home, they found 1.295kg of cannabis – that court heard had a street value of up to $32,375 – along with around $36,350 cash.

The court heard police also found steroids, which O’Keefe admitted to owning, and various drug paraphernalia.

Jacob Neil O’Keefe leaving the Ipswich Courthouse on November 3, 2022. Picture: Nicola McNamara

Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren noted the cash had been separated into $10,000 bundles, which he said “suggests that [the cash] was associated with the sale of the drugs”.

He said the couple had been buying in bulk to “get a better price” and, although they had used some of the cannabis for personal use, they had both admitted to the drugs having a commercial purpose.

Judge Horneman-Wren emphasised they were not, however, being sentenced for drug trafficking or supply.

Crown prosecutor Ryan Godfrey said O’Keefe’s criminal history included one entry of possessing dangerous drugs and failing to appear from 2014, for which he was fined and no conviction was recorded.

He said Micheelsen’s history consisted of “minor petty drug offending for personal use” but the current charges were a “significant escalation” for both defendants.

Mandy Jane Micheelsen leaving the Ipswich Courthouse on November 3, 2022. Picture: Nicola McNamara

Defence barrister Penny White said O’Keefe had been “scared stiff” when he was charged with this offending and the experience had “sent him on a straight path” in terms of his drug use.

Defence barrister Daniel Caruana said Micheelson had consistently maintained employment and had also stopped using cannabis since this offending.

“Effectively, they have both been put on notice by being caught for this serious offending and are supporting one another in abstinence,” he said.

Judge Horneman-Wren noted O’Keefe and Micheelson had two teenage children together, and told them to “just stop for a moment and think how horrible it would be for them to be standing at the back of the court looking at their parents, standing in the dock”.

He said long term cannabis users should be aware their personal use “seeps into the community” and “continues the market for the drug”.

Both O’Keefe and Micheelson received a head sentence of 15 months imprisonment, suspended immediately for two years.

Judge Horneman-Wren warned the couple, “further drug offending could very well see all of that term of imprisonment activate”.

Convictions were recorded.