Five drug raids on meth trafficker’s home

He was a “decent person” having served in the Australia Army, before methamphetamines led him to trafficking drugs.

HE WAS a “decent person”, having served in the Australia Army, before methamphetamines led him to trafficking drugs from the same home his seven-year-old son played in.

Joshua David Donaldson, 40, who continued to traffick drugs while on bail, bragged to a customer he was purchasing 113.3 grams at a time and it wasn’t enough.

Crown prosecutor Alana Murray said Donaldson supplied at least 100g of meth during his trafficking period – January 23, 2019, and July 31, 2019.

He was subjected to five police raids on his German St residence and messages showed he made offers to supply at least 39 times.

Donaldson sourced meth from Sarina, Sunshine Coast, Gladstone and Rockhampton.

He restocked five times in the six month period, and sent 22 contacts in his phone a message telling them he had restocked.

Donaldson’s supplies were mostly for cash, but would take $50 off females’ bills if they supplied a photograph of their breasts.

On one occasion, police intercepted Donaldson driving with his son in the front passenger seat.

After noticing his nervous behaviour, police searched the car and located a blue and black camera bag containing drug utensils, clip-seal bags and traces of a crystal substance – 2.268g of meth in two clip-seal bags.

During a search on January 10 at 10.45am, police found three used drug pipes, scales, clip-seal bags, a spoon with crystal substance on it and a black android phone on the bed.

Justice Graeme Crow said Donaldson told police the black phone belonged to a female who stayed the night.

“During that conversation, the phone received several calls from your girlfriend,” he said.

“You couldn’t explain why your girlfriend was calling the phone of a female you spent the night with.”

Donaldson’s girlfriend arrived during the police search.

A safe in Donaldson’s bedroom contained two clip-seal bags with 0.032g of meth for personal use.

A forensic analysis of the black phone revealed 4634 messages which detailed the trafficking business of meth and marijuana.

During a search of Donaldson’s house on February 18, they located drug utensils in the bedroom, 0.115g of meth and a white iPhone.

After he reluctantly provided police access, they found photographs of drug utensils and clip-seal bags.

Two messages revealed supplies of drugs.

Justice Crow said Donaldson told police there was content on the phone that could be misunderstood and he was not a dealer, jut a middleman.

After another intercept of Donaldson driving on July 11 at 10.20am, police found $5500 cash in a bag, along with clip-seal bags, and more cash in his wallet.

Donaldson, who was unemployed at the time, told police he had won the cash at various taverns.

When police arrived at his home on July 30 at 12.50pm, Donaldson ran to the toilet and flushed a clip-seal bag which, when recovered, contained 3.1g meth. Police also located $1300 in his wallet.

He pleaded guilty on August 27 in the Supreme Court in Rockhampton to one count of trafficking drugs, two of possessing more than two grams of meth, five of possessing a dangerous drug, two supply drugs, four possess property suspected used in the commission of a drug crime, three possess utensils, one possess property suspected to be proceeds of a crime, one possess tainted property and a breach of bail.

The court heard Donaldson had been a full-time carer of his son for four years prior to his arrest and the son was now being cared for by his 83-year-old mother.

Justice Crow said Donaldson’s mother had noted several changes in Donaldson since remanded in custody.

“You show more respect towards her. You had put on weight. The skin condition you suffered while using drugs had disappeared entirely,” he said.

Justice Crow said evidence showed the former Australian Army rigger was a decent person before drugs.

Donaldson, who had worked as a cabinet maker along with at the meatworks and the mines, has a job offer to work for an uncle after release from prison.

Justice Crow sentenced Donaldson to 4.5 years prison, declared 394 days presentence custody and set parole eligibility on January 29, 2021.