Rheannen May Connolly spared jail for ‘quite foolish’ trafficking business

A drug trafficker’s customer base was only partially discovered when police bugged her boyfriend’s phone - it was what she later confessed to that revealed her business.

A meth trafficker who had “no business sense” earned herself “special leniency” when she admitted to pushing drugs for longer than police were aware.

Rheannen May Connolly would buy grams of methamphetamine for more than she could sell it.

Mackay Supreme Court heard the 27 year old had about 10 repeat customers across Mackay, Moranbah and Emerald.

Defence barrister Matt Heelan said Connolly had been “quite foolish on occasion” as her trafficking business failed to profit and left the defendant in debt to her suppliers.

“She ended up in debt (by) really having no business sense,” he said.

“She put herself in a position where she owed a debt for drugs that she didn’t possess.”

The court heard Connolly had been in a short relationship with her supplier meth trafficker Johnathan Jeffrey O’Brien, who was jailed last week, during the offending period.

Police had tapped O’Brien’s phone as part of Operation Sierra NIB, which brought Connolly to their attention.

Justice Graeme Crow said a raid at her home in December 2020 found a “mobile phone that (she) had hidden between (her) lounge cushions” used to contact at least 10 repeat customers in Mackay, Moranbah, and Emerald.

Crown prosecutor Joshua Phillips said Connolly was eligible for special leniency on her penalty after admitting to about 10 months of drug trafficking in 2020, beyond the three months for which police had evidence.

Mr Phillips said “the most substantial matter in her favour is the co-operation” with police.

Justice Crow said he accepted Connolly’s remorse as genuine, but said jail time was sure if she didn’t dedicate herself to addiction recovery.

“You’ll turn your back on drugs, or you’ll go to prison,” he said.

The defendant wiped her eyes as she was jailed for three years with immediate parole.