Central Queensland mine worker Mark Andrew Fouracre pleads guilty to drug supply charges

Police used text messages and records of phone conversations as evidence in the case, and the offender has since relocated from the towns where the supplies occurred. Full details here.

A Central Queensland man employed in the mining sector has pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying cannabis. Generic image.

Police used text messages and records of phone conversations as evidence to convict a Central Queensland mine worker on drug supply charges.

Mark Andrew Fouracre, 41, pleaded guilty in Biloela Magistrates Court on April 6 to two counts of supplying a dangerous drug and one count of possessing a mobile phone used in the commission of a crime.

The court heard Fouracre supplied cannabis to a man at Mundubbera in March and June last year.

In November, Fouracre was found in possession of the phone at Monto.

Police prosecutor Stacey Bain handed up a schedule of facts to Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale.

In summary, Ms Bain said the supplies of cannabis involved 3.5g and 28.5g.

She said in the first instance there were records of phone conversations between the two men, and in the second, records of text message conversations between them.

The prosecution did not allege there was any commerciality in this offending.

The court heard Fouracre had a three-page criminal history which included dated entries for drug possession and production.

Solicitor Madison Kurtz tendered three character references on behalf of Fouracre.

Ms Kurtz said Fouracre was raised in Maryborough and he left school in Year 10 to continue his education through TAFE.

She said Fouracre had a Certificate III in Childcare Services and a RSA (responsible service of alcohol certificate).

“At the age of 19 he moved from Maryborough to Fraser Island where he lived and worked for five years running a restaurant and then moved to Hervey Bay,” Ms Kurtz said.

The solicitor said Fouracre was a single father of three, he had previously owned a successful carpet cleaning business, and he was now employed in the mining sector as a chef and groundsman at Dysart and Moranbah.

Ms Kurtz said since this latest offending, Fouracre had moved away from the area where the crimes were committed and away from the circle of people he was involved with.

Before handing down penalty, Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale noted the supplies were not commercial and that Fouracre had “turned the corner” with rehabilitation.

She also offered this advice: “If you do blame associations with others on your offending, you will set yourself up to fail because there are always going to be people around you who use drugs.

“But what you have done is built another life.”

Ms Beckinsale sentenced Fouracre to six months’ jail, wholly suspended for an operational period of 18 months.

Convictions were recorded.