Eating disorder battler Katrina Frances Lee Debrincat trafficked marijuana to fund her habit

The daughter of a truck driver killed near Biloela earlier this year has been jailed after trafficking drugs to fund her own drug habit. Here’s what happened in court.

The daughter of a truck driver killed in a horrific crash near Biloela earlier this year has been jailed after trafficking drugs to fund the marijuana habit she used to help her eat due to a battle with anorexia.

Katrina Frances Lee Debrincat, 36, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court on August 17 to one count of trafficking a dangerous drug, along with one count of possessing drug utensils and one of possessing dangerous drugs.

Crown prosecutor Maryam Yousufzai said Debrincat, who only had one entry on her criminal record of wilful damage, trafficked marijuana at a street level for nine months between November 24, 2020, to August 17, 2021.

Debrincat had 38 customers with one of them receiving 200 supplies from her.

Ms Yousufzai said police searched Debrincat’s residence on August 16, 2021, locating 89.6g of marijuana in six clip-seal bags and two marijuana oil tablets, along with two grinders, pipes, scales, unused clip-seal bags and a mobile phone.

Ms Yousufzai said it was estimated Debrincat made $20,000-$25,000 during the trafficking period, sourcing her six various strains of marijuana from Bundaberg and Gladstone.

She said when arrested, Debrincat tried to minimise her conduct, telling police she only supplied a friend twice.

Defence barrister Julie Marsden said her client’s mother died when she was 24 and her father, Brian Shaw, died in a truck collision at Wowan in February.

Brian Shaw died in a tragic truck crash at Wowan on Tuesday February 15, 2022.

She said Debrincat had two brothers and two sisters who lived in Hervey Bay, Rockhampton and Victoria.

Ms Marsden said her client went to seven primary schools and five high schools growing up.

She said Debrincat was supported in court by her defacto partner, family and friends.

Ms Marsden said her client had worked odd jobs since high school but got sick in December 2016 and had not worked since.

“As a young person, she had diabetes and was very obese,” she said.

“She had the gastric sleeve surgery in 2016 and then suffered symptoms of anorexia and had difficulty eating.

“She suffered anxiety and depression and was formally diagnosed with those illnesses as a child and has also had bipolar disorder.

“She’s been medicated in the past but found that didn’t assist.

“She instructs she started smoking marijuana at the age of 20. She was introduced to it by her mother.

“She gave up for a short period but started again in 2017. She claimed that it makes her hungry.

“She has been speaking to her GP about legal medicinal marijuana.”

Ms Marsden said Debrincat had also been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome.

She said Debrincat admitted to being a heavy drug user at the time of the trafficking offending.

“She instructs the trafficking was really, in effect, to support her own habits,” Ms Marsden said.

“She said that the trafficking came about when she couldn’t find drugs for herself.”

Ms Marsden said Debrincat was given a significant amount of marijuana on tick when she was looking for just enough for her and before she knew it, she was selling it.

Judge Katherine McGinness sentenced Debrincat to three years prison, suspended after serving three months and operational for three years.

Convictions were recorded.