Dale Thomas Robertson in Rockhampton court for producing, possessing drugs

The son of a convicted drug trafficker who introduced him to drugs and used him as a “middle man”, has fronted court yet again for drug offences – this time producing them.

Dale Thomas Robertson in Rockhampton Magistrates Court for producing, and possessing drugs

The son of a convicted drug trafficker who introduced him to drugs and used him as a “middle man”, has fronted court yet again for drug offences – this time producing them.

Dale Thomas Robertson, 34, was busted with 17 marijuana seedlings and 2.4g of marijuana when police searched his Norman Gardens residence on October 31, Rockhampton Magistrates Court heard on Monday.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Sarah Rowe said Robertson told police when they arrived that he had a bong on the patio table, but did not say anything about the seedlings in two pots behind the back shed.

She said police also found four used water pipes, two grinders, scales, UV lights and chopping plate.

Defence lawyer Grant Cagney said his client was raised mostly in North Queensland by his mother, who is a convicted drug trafficker who introduced him to drugs, but had relocated to Central Queensland where his father lived.

He said Robertson grew up surrounded by convicted drug users and traffickers.

Robertson was convicted for supplying meth on behalf of his mother in Rockhampton District Court in 2015.

The court heard that in April 2014, while his mother was sick, a text message came through to Robertson’s mum’s mobile phone asking her for 0.11g of methamphetamine.

Robertson’s ill mother instructed her son to “go and do it” and he made arrangements to get $200 cash from the customer for the methamphetamine.

Mr Cagney said his client left Townsville last year to live with his father.

He said Robertson’s father, who had been a heavy user of marijuana, had been sober of drugs and alcohol for 19 years.

Mr Cagney said his client is addicted to marijuana and hopes to overcome that with his father’s help.

Robertson, who has an eight-page criminal record, was on a suspended sentence handed down in the Townsville District Court in 2020 at the time of the search.

Robertson pleaded guilty on February 5, 2024, to one count of producing a dangerous drug and one of possessing a dangerous drug.

He was sentenced to eight months prison with immediate release on parole and recommitted to the Townsville District Court for the breach of that suspended sentence.