Meth-dealer mum Felicity Ann Koffal jailed for latest swath of supply charges

A repeat meth offender walked freely into the Ipswich courthouse, only to get a nasty surprise to learn she wouldn’t be leaving the way she came in.

Felicity Koffal leaves court in March 2021. Picture: Ross Irby

A meth addict mum has been locked up after a court heard she continued to supply drugs within months of being granted immediate parole for similar offending.

Mount Tarampa mother Felicity Ann Koffal, 38, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court on February 21, 2023, to 25 counts of supplying dangerous drugs, one count of possessing a thing used in the commission of a crime (a mobile phone), and possessing utensils or pipes.

The court heard Koffal had engaged in low street-level drug dealing between July 20 and November 8, 2021.

Crown prosecutor Hamish McIntyre said the Crown had evidence of 23 instances where Koffal had arranged to supply drugs, and two instances where she actually supplied drugs (methamphetamine and cannabis).

The court heard police later uncovered Koffal’s offending when they found incriminating messages on her phone.

Mr McIntyre said the offending wasn’t to the level of “conducting a business,” but went beyond simply arranging to supply to friends.

“It is certainly activity of a commercial nature,” Mr McIntyre said.

He further noted Koffal had a relevant criminal history, and had been on parole at the time she committed these offences.

He said Koffal had been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with immediate parole in March 2021 for 13 counts of supplying dangerous drugs – including methamphetamine.

Judge Dennis Lynch noted Koffal had a “longstanding” addiction to meth, and had told the court at the time of that previous sentence that she had been clean for a year.

“It might seem unlikely that that was in fact true, looking at things now,” Judge Lynch said.

“All of us – you [Koffal] included – understand the enormous damage that methamphetamine in particular does in the community … Many sad tales are told in the walls of these courtrooms on account of the use and addiction to that drug.”

Koffal served 292 days in custody for that prior sentence, as her parole was revoked in November 2021 after her continued offending was uncovered.

Defence barrister Dan Boddice tendered character references from Koffal’s mother, friend and stepfather.

Judge Lynch said the references reflected there had been a “positive change” in Koffal’s circumstances since she was released from custody in September last year.

“The period of 10 months or so that you spent in custody seems to have been positive in terms of you finally being able to achieve abstinence from drug use.”

However, Judge Lynch said he was not convinced that he should wholly suspend Koffal’s sentence, as her barrister suggested.

Instead he decided to impose an immediate parole eligibility date, which would require Koffal to return to custody and submit an application for the parole board to consider.

“You reverted to similar conduct within a fairly short time after being sentenced … They are serious aggravating circumstances,” Judge Lynch said.

He said he would however reduce the overall head sentence to take into account Koffal’s efforts towards rehabilitation and the time it would take for her parole application to be considered.

Koffal received a head sentence of 18 months imprisonment, with immediate parole eligibility, and convictions were recorded.