Benjamin Paul Flohr, Kelli-Ann Dair face Mackay court for meth dealing
An “untrustworthy” son who trashed his parents’ home and a mother of three with a history of drug possession both faced court for dealing meth. See what their punishment was.
Police & Courts
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An “untrustworthy” son who trashed his parents’ home and a mother of three with a history of drug possession were both sentenced before Mackay District Court for dealing methamphetamines.
Read below to see what was heard in court and what punishment they received.
Benjamin Paul Flohr
A 23-year-old described by his own mother as “untrustworthy and reliable” was living in “squalor” while dealing methamphetamine.
Solicitor Steven Hayles told Mackay District Court Benjamin Paul Flohr was working for his parent’s cattle grazing operation and staying at the homestead on their Mt Dilligen station, a 18,210ha property west of Moranbah.
Crown prosecutor Shannon Sutherland said a police search of the property on February 9, 2023, revealed Flohr had in his possession three metal silencers, ammunition, a water pipe, three glass pipes, a Nokia mobile revealing two separate sales of meth at one “point” each.
Ms Sutherland said Flohr declined a formal interview with police and was granted bail.
Mr Hayles told the court Flohr had previously been sentenced on weapons charges, receiving $1000 in fines.
“The offending (in 2023) has occurred at time when Mr Flohr was a very low point in his life,” he said.
“He was a user of methamphetamine and he consumed alcohol to excess … his mother describes him at that time as being untrustworthy and unreliable.
“I’ve seen footage of the police search … he was living in a state of squalor, there was rubbish spread throughout in his living quarters and particularly in his bedroom.”
Mr Hayles said Flohr had a “heart to heart” with his parents, admitting to his problems with drugs and alcohol, and he had attended a private rehabilitation facility in December.
He asked that Judge Gregory Lynham to consider not recording a conviction as it could prejudice Flohr and his employment opportunities.
Flohr pleaded guilty to possessing a category R weapon, possessing utensils or pipes used in connection with a dangerous drug, possession of an object used in commission of a crime, not having authority for explosives, and two counts of supplying dangerous drugs.
Judge Lyham sentenced Flohr to 18 months’ probation, “somewhat reluctantly” decided not to record convictions, and told him “this will be the last chance you get”.
Kelli-Ann Dair
A Mackay region mother of three was just 0.236g of pure meth away from a jail cell and getting the title of being a drug trafficker, the court was told.
Kelli-Ann Dair faced Mackay District Court where it was heard she supplied meth on five occasions, for a “total of 10 points”, with a police search at her address on March 23 finding 1.764g of pure meth in 2.335g of “white crystal substance”.
Officers also found a glass pipe, straws, empty clip seal bags, digital scales and a debit card not belonging to Dair.
Ms Sutherland said the 35-year-old, who declined to speak with police, had only the month before in court been placed on a four month good behaviour bond for possessing meth and scales.
Ms Sutherland said the meth found in Dair’s bedroom fell just shy of the 2g “circumstance of aggravation” which would have upgraded her charges to drug trafficking, landed her in the supreme court, and put her at risk of time behind bars.
Judge Lynham said it was tragic to see someone take up crime at 33, with the “insidious drug” destroying lives,
He told the mother of three if she kept using meth, the “simple reality” was her children would be removed from her care and she would become “her own jailer”.
Dair pleaded guilty to possessing dangerous drugs, possessing tainted property, utensils or pipes that had been used, possessing anything used in the commission of a crime, and five counts of possessing dangerous drugs.
Judge Lynham sentenced her to 12 months jail with immediate parole and recorded convictions for all offences.
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