Dahna Maree Jubb sentenced in Rockhampton court for drug trafficking

A Qld mum has been forced to spend more time behind bars for her role in her partner’s violent drug trafficking enterprise, which included her encouraging his violence and collecting drug debts.

A court has heard how a woman was “wholly immersed” in her then partner’s drug enterprise, encouraging his violent ways of doing business.

Dahna Maree Jubb, 35, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Supreme Court on Thursday (March 16) to one count of drug trafficking and one count of possessing meth.

The court heard Jubb’s offending was discovered during the police operation Sierra Decompress, which targeted her then partner Darren Steven Burnell.

Burnell pleaded guilty to a number of offences, including drug trafficking, in May last year.

Jubb was Burnell’s “romantic and business partner” throughout the trafficking period between November 2020 and February 2021.

She also acted as Burnell’s “primary confidante” and helped him with the enterprise in many different ways.

During the trafficking period Jubb was “wholly immersed” in the drug trafficking enterprise, speaking to Burnell on a daily basis.

Jubb’s partner was Darren Burnell who was jailed in May last year for the violent drug trafficking enterprise he ran.

Legal officer for the Department of Public Prosecutions Caleb Theunissen told the court in a text message between the couple, Jubb said “we are a team” and in a phone call 14 minutes later Burnell told her “it is your business too honey”.

During the trafficking period Jubb supplied at least 11.4g of meth and supplied drugs to at least nine different customers of Burnell’s trafficking operation.

Jubb would supply drugs to customers on Burnell’s behalf, collect drug debts and would encourage Burnell when he committed violence to collect drug debts.

Mr Theunissen submitted that encouraging the violence was a “major aggravating feature” of Jubb’s offending.

The court heard Jubb “regularly encouraged” Burnell to commit acts of violence.

Mr Theunissen said Jubb had a limited criminal history, but had a seven page traffic history which mostly included speeding offences.

Jubb’s barrister Emily Lewsey said while there may have been violence encouraged, there was no evidence the acts actually occurred.

Ms Lewsey told the court Jubb had no criminal history at the time of the trafficking.

She said Jubb had experienced domestic violence at the hands of Burnell and now, looking back, accepted she could have walked away and made “other decisions”.

Ms Lewsey said Jubb had already spent 95 in days in custody before being sentenced.

The court heard since Jubb was released on bail she had relocated to Capalaba, and no longer lives in the Rockhampton region.

Ms Lewsey said Jubb had resumed work, but was currently not working following the birth of her young child.

Ms Lewsey told the court Jubb had done a number of drug tests that had all come back negative.

Justice Graeme Crow took into account Jubb’s plea of guilty and history when determining his sentence.

Justice Crow said Jubb’s encouragement of Burnell’s violence was of “great concern”.

“To your credit you had no prior criminal history before this matter,” he said.

“You are a party to and great assistant to a very serious and dangerous drug trafficker, your offending carries a maximum of 25 years imprisonment.

“There is a need to deter persons from being involved with trafficking in dangerous drugs.”

While Ms Lewsey tried to submit further jail time wasn’t necessary, Justice Crow was of the view a short further period of time behind bars was appropriate for Jubb’s involvement in the trafficking.

Jubb was sentenced to three years imprisonment to be suspended after serving seven months and five days for an operational period of three years.

The sentence meant Jubb was required to serve a further four months behind bars on top of the 95 days previously served on remand.

Ninety-five days of presentence custody was declared as time already served.

Jubb will be released from jail on July 15.