Taylar Lee Wardlaw faces Mackay Supreme Court after being found with more than 8g of pure methylamphetamine

She has been caught with illicit drugs five times and having just 2g can attract a maximum jail sentence of 25 years. Still, the 28-year-old left court uncuffed.

The driver was nervous and shaking as Mackay police asked him to step out of the HiLux and onto River St shortly after midnight.

Waiting in the passenger seat for her friend to return was Ooralea woman Taylar Lee Wardlaw.

But Mackay Supreme Court on Tuesday heard officers would detain them both after uncovering a clip seal bag with a white powdery substance in Wardlaw’s bra and digital scales used to “weigh jewellery” inside her handbag on that April 26 night in 2020.

Justice Graeme Crow said officers then discovered three clip seal bags, each containing a crystal-like ball, hidden under the shift boot.

Justice Crow said the then 27-year-old Wardlaw waited until officers were arresting her friend to confess they were hers.

Taylar Lee Wardlaw was charged with possessing more than 8g of pure methylamphetamines with her father coming along to Mackay Supreme Court to support her. Picture: Heidi Petith

Crown prosecutor Elizabeth Kelso said the 8.1g bust of pure methylamphetamine marked Wardlaw’s fifth drug offence, committed while she was on a court-issued period of good behaviour.

“Despite the significant quantity of the drugs found in the boot, the crown isn’t alleging commerciality,” Ms Kelso said.

“Part of that is related to a payment she received some months earlier that would allow her to purchase the large amount of drugs.”

The court heard Wardlaw had worked at the Boomerang Hotel for eight years during which she began a relationship with a methylamphetamine user who four years later committed suicide.

Ms Kelso said his superannuation payout awarded $110,000 to Wardlaw which she partly used to buy more drugs that were increasingly scarce and expensive because of Covid-19.

She asked Justice Crow for a head sentence between 18 months to two years to reflect Wardlaw’s history.

Taylar Lee Wardlaw faced Mackay Supreme Court after police found her with more than 8g of pure methylamphetamines. Picture: Heidi Petith

Defence barrister Scott McLennan, instructed by Legal Aid Queensland, said his client, was formerly a “good productive member of the community” dealt a “poison chalice” with the superannuation payout.

“It sapped the motivation to work and obviously she then had funds to purchase methylamphetamines,” Mr McLennan said.

He said Wardlaw had since sought rehabilitation including attending a Lives Lived Well course.

Justice Crow said falling into methylamphetamine’s wrath via her partner was a “stock standard” story in the courts, being an awful, addictive and destructive drug.

“Most people don’t seem to understand the relationship between the drug and crime, all crime” he said.

“Houses are frequently broken into, violence, people are bashed, murders, manslaughters,

“People are killed enforcing drug debts, sometimes in error but it occurs.

“Parents neglect their children, sometimes kill them.”

In considering sentencing, Justice Crow said he took into account Wardlaw’s depression and excellent work history as well as her foiling the court’s four previously granted chances.

He said the Lives Lived Well program had contacted Wardlaw several times without a response with her only taking it seriously after the last offence.

“It’s a pity it took this breach (of good behaviour) for you to change your mind,” he said.

Justice Crow said he accepted Mr McLennan’s request for one more chance, sentencing Wardlaw, who pleaded guilty to possessing dangerous drugs in excess of 2g, to 18 months prison with immediate parole.