Christopher Phillip Kerr pleads guilty to drug supply

A chef at a popular tourist town has avoided spending anymore time in jail for supplying meth and marijuana.

An Airlie Beach chef has been released after spending eight months in jail for supplying dangerous drugs including meth and marijuana to friends and associates.

An Airlie Beach chef has been told he’s “too old for this kind of nonsense” as he avoided any more time in jail for selling meth and marijuana.

Mackay District Court heard police searched the father of three’s home on July 11, 2021 and text messages contained within two phones indicated his involvement in supplying dangerous drugs.

One time was related to the sale of meth and the others marijuana – two times related to actual sales and the remainder were him acting as a middle man for friends and associates.

Christopher Phillip Kerr, 44, pleaded guilty to eight counts of supplying dangerous drugs and one count of possessing items used in drug offending - the offending all happened between 2016 and 2021 in the Whitsundays.

The court heard he was very cooperative with police.

Defence barrister Scott McLennan said Kerr was a “long time user of cannabis” and was only introduced to meth through a former partner.

By July 2021 Kerr had stopped using meth and was working as a chef in Airlie Beach, Mr McLennan said, but because of Covid he found it difficult to stay employed in hospitality so he worked as a painter in Rockhampton.

The court heard he missed a number of court appearances because of working away and his mother going missing in January 2022, and as a result was remanded his custody.

Kerr has since spent just more than eight months behind bars.

Mr McLennan said while in custody Kerr had been studying and also completed a first aid course – he intended to begin working as soon as he was released from custody.

He pushed for time already served to be released on probation

Judge John Coker said while the single meth supply was for a small amount it was still a serious charge and that marijuana “still carries a dreadful burden … and filters out onto other drugs”.

“To be frank you’re too old for this nonsense,” Judge Coker said.

The court heard Kerr intended to move back to Airlie Beach to work.

Kerr’s eight months in custody was declared time already served and he was released on six months probation. Convictions were recorded.