Newsome’s Tyre and Mechanical owners’ son’s fall from grace

A retired Queensland police Inspector has thrown his support behind a professional national motorsports racer turned drug courier busted with 1.248kg of methamphetamines. So too have a doctor and a councillor.

A retired Queensland Police Inspector has thrown his support behind a professional national motorsports racer turned drug courier who was busted with 1.248kg of methamphetamines.

And he was not the only high-profile person to support the son of a well-known business owner when they fronted the Supreme Court in Rockhampton – a doctor and councillor also supported the 37-year-old by providing character references.

Zak Leslie Newsome had tears running from his eyes as he faced the prospect of up to 25 years maximum in prison for the meth possession, let alone additional time for contravening an order about providing access to information stored electronically.

Justice Graeme Crow was provided with reference letters from retired Rockhampton Police Inspector David Peff, Rockhampton Regional Councillor Edward Oram and City Heart Centre founding doctor Brad Lorraway.

Inspector David Peff.

Justice Graeme Crow said Newsome’s offending was detected as part of Queensland Police Service’s Operation Victor Cope which targeted the distribution of meth and other illicit drugs in Central Queensland and one of the targets was Newsome’s then partner.

He said Newsome was captured counting money and discussing business with her on August 30 at their Gracemere residence.

Newsome, the son of Newsome Tyre and Mechanical owners Daryl and Julie Newsome, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing more than 200g of a schedule one drug, two counts of possessing more than two grams of a schedule one drug, along with one count each of possessing tainted property, possessing dangerous drugs, possessing a thing used in a drug crime and contravening an order about providing access to information stored electronically.

Justice Crow said Newsome then rented a storage unit on Yaamba Road, Norman Gardens, and messaged the four digit code to his then partner that same day.

Bachelor hunt 2010 entrant Zak Newsome. ALLAN REINIKKA AR27-0910-5

He said police searched their Gracemere residence on September 7 while they were in bed and located a suitcase belonging to Newsome in the garage.

The suitcase contained 44.328g of meth in 59.234g of substance; 10.041g of pure MDMA in 30.052g of substance and 54 strips of suboxone plus digital scales and $4,530 cash.

Justice Crow said the meth was worth $16,700 and the MDMA was worth $1520.

Police seized his mobile phone and he gave officers the wrong pincode.

Justice Crow said police found the storage unit rental agreement documentation in his car and obtained a search warrant for it.

Inside the storage unit police located the 1.248kg of meth, of which 0.926kg was pure meth, in a wine box.

“The value of that kilogram of methamphetamine was $124,000,” Justice Crow said.

1.2kg of meth was seized from the Norman Gardens storage shed.

He said Newsome had stored the drugs for his girlfriend and was paid $3000 for his efforts.

Justice Crow said, however, Newsome had initially told police he had been “held up at gunpoint by unknown criminals on the Bruce Highway… demanded that you take the package”.

Newsome, a qualified mechanic, competed in motocross sports since he was in school and competed professionally at a national level for five years until he sustained a complex wrist fracture in an accident in 2016, the court heard.

He underwent three surgeries and was unable to compete in motocross and went back to work at his parents business.

Justice Crow said material provided to him showed Newsome started associating with people in the drug world.

Defence barrister Maree Willey said her client had been using painkillers for three years after his accident and started using meth for pain relief.

The court heard this was also about the same time his mother became acutely ill.

Ms Willey said Newsome was acting as a drug courier for this offending.

Justice Crow said Newsome’s father also wrote a letter, informing of the extreme lengths the family went to try and help their loved one get away from drugs before this incident, along with the strict environment set up once he was bailed on these charges.

“It speaks of their heartbreak,” he said.

Justice Crow said Newsome’s parents drug tested him, sent him away because he was “dangerous to (himself) and other workers” while on drugs, sent him out west to try and break the drug cycle but that didn’t work, tried to get help with rehab service Drug Arm and other services.

“But you kept coming back to drugs and the associated poor habits, (and) wracked up a huge debt from gambling,” he said.

The court heard Newsome’s parents had offered to help him once again after his arrest, but there were conditions – he must reside in their home, work six days a week, undergo drug testing and they would have control over his finances.

Daryl, Julie and Zak Newsome from Newsomes Tyre and Mechanical on Gladstone Road.

They also spent $64,000 fixing the damage to his teeth caused by using meth for few years.

He went on to do volunteer work with Meals on Wheels three mornings a week, after he was given permission to start work 30 minutes on those mornings.

Justice Crow said Mr Peff, a retired police officer, stated he knew the Newsome family for 40 years and had known the defendant his whole life.

“He has great knowledge of the criminal world, drug scene for many many years,” Justice Crow said.

“He finds this offending out of character (for Newsome).”

Justice Crow said Mr Peff included information in his letter about Newsome that indicated he was a good person that fell in with a crowd of people that used meth.

“He acknowledges that it was your fault and your fault alone, that you took the poor choice and others couldn’t help you,” he said.

“He (Mr Peff) also informs me… that you’ve done excellent in terms of rehabilitation and he says your demeanour, of physical appearance and having known you since you were a child, gives him, an experienced person in this area, full confidence that you were living drug free and you have excellent prospects.”

Justice Crow said Dr Lorraway stated he had known Newsome since 2007 and described his injury in 2016 as “nasty”, taking him away from racing professionally.

He said the doctor talked about Newsome’s mental health which took a dive from the impact to his career, his mother’s bad health and then spiralling into drug world.

But he said Newsome was better now he was off drugs and doing volunteer work.

Others who wrote reference letters, including Rockhampton Cr Oram who has known the Newsomes for 20 years, described Newsome, prior to drugs, as a polite and vibrant young person who assisted others in the motocross community and had a good work ethic.

Edward Oram, Division 4 Councillor for Rockhampton Regional Council.

They also said he was a respectful, reliable and trustworthy person when he was not using drugs and that he lost many friends when he started using drugs.

Justice Crow sentenced Newsome, who had no criminal history, to nine years prison and set his parole eligibility for November 29, 2026 with one day presentence custody declared as time already served.