Pregnant meth dealer Cara Jo Robertson avoids jail time despite growing rap sheet

A Central Queensland woman, who has worked in childcare and as a dance instructor, said she “bought” meth off her “controlling” boyfriend before on-selling it. But a Judge was not convinced with her story. Find out what happened in court.

A pregnant meth dealer who “bought” the drug off her “controlling” boyfriend before on-selling it to her cousin, has avoided actual jail time despite her growing rap sheet.

Cara Jo Robertson, 30, pleaded guilty in the District Court at Rockhampton on February 16 to five drugs charges - the most serious being supplying methamphetamines.

Before the prosecution detailed these offences, it outlined Robertson’s criminal history which included previous drug offending.

In relation to that history, legal officer for the Crown, Claire Brtevnik, said Robertson was convicted in May, 2017, for a number of drug offences including meth possession, two counts of possessing drug utensils, and possessing property used in connection with a drug offence.

For the meth possession charge, Robertson was sentenced to four months’ jail with immediate parole.

Then in March, 2018, Robertson was back before Rockhampton Magistrates Court for again possessing meth and she was sentenced to three months’ jail with immediate release on parole.

In July, 2020, Robertson was convicted and fined $500 for possessing drug utensils.

In relation to Robertson’s latest offending, Ms Brtevnik said on March 29, 2021, Robertson supplied another person with 1.5g of methamphetamine “on credit”.

“The next day they discussed payment for the drug,” Ms Brtevnik said.

“The defendant offered the person pay $650 and the defendant would owe 0.25g of methamphetamine to make the amount supplied a complete half-ball.

“There was discussion about future supply but the customer needed to count their money.”

Ms Brtevnik said on April 1, 2021, police executed a search of Robertson’s residence.

“In her bedroom they found $650 cash on the bedside table... a quantity of clip-seal bags and two sets of digital scales.”

Ms Brtevnik said police also found three glass pipes in a chest of drawers, and a phone which revealed drug supply.

She said Robertson told police the cash was from selling items including two vehicles, but Robertson later conceded a portion of the cash was from selling meth.

Robertson was arrested and released on bail.

Ms Brtevnik said Robertson had supplied the 1.5g of methamphetamine for a commercial purpose.

She submitted that Robertson had, with this offending, exposed herself to a period of actual imprisonment.

Defence lawyer Sheridan Shaw said Robertson was the second of five children and completed Year 12 at North Rockhampton State High School.

Ms Shaw said when Robertson was about 17 she had her first pregnancy.

“Ms Robertson is now a mother of nine children... ,” Ms Shaw said.

Ms Shaw said Robertson had had her hands full since leaving school with the care of her children.

“However she’s had some employment, including in childcare and as a dance instructor for some three years,” Ms Shaw said.

“She has certificates in dance, as well as a Certificate III in business. She is not currently employed but she is actively looking for work.”

Ms Shaw said Robertson’s drug history started when she was 20.

“She turned to methamphetamine to cope with a discovery that the father of her first two children had been intimate with her mother,” Ms Shaw said.

“That separation of that relationship spiralled into her using methamphetamines.

“She began to use heavily and it’s something she’s battled throughout her twenties.”

Ms Shaw said at the time of this latest offending, Robertson was in a relationship with a man who was “heavily involved in methamphetamine”.

“She describes him as controlling and manipulative,” Ms Shaw said.

“It was actually through him that the supply in this instance was facilitated. He was the one who had the established connections that would allow her to get access to the drug.”

At that point, Judge Jeff Clarke asked the prosecution if any of that was accepted.

Ms Brtevnik responded: “It’s not disputed - I simply don’t have that information contained on my brief, Your Honour.”

Judge Clarke then asked Ms Shaw if she wanted an opportunity for the prosecution “to make an enquiry about this story” as it seemed “completely inconsistent” with the Crown allegation.

Ms Shaw said she wished to clarify: “I’m not saying that Ms Robertson is a third party facilitating between the two parties.

“Directly she supplied them (drugs) to (named person) but the person she bought them from was her partner.”

Judge Clarke then said: “She bought drugs from her partner...from her controlling partner?”

And Ms Shaw replied: “Yes.”

And Judge Clarke said: “Right. Okay. Well, goodness me is that a pig flying...? That seems like rot.”

Ms Shaw added that the person who received the supply was Robertson’s cousin.

The exchange between the judge and the lawyer continued before Judge Clarke said: “Okay, so she’s in a relationship with a drug dealer?”

Ms Shaw replied: “Yeah, was.”

Mr Clarke: “She’s looking after seven children.”

Ms Shaw: “Was (in a relationship), Your Honour.”

Judge Clarke asked a question about when things happened and the ages of some of the children, to which Ms Shaw answered before adding: “Ms Robertson instructs she was, ah, pregnant actually at the time all of this took place.

“As such she wasn’t using methamphetamine at the time.”

Judge Clarke then said: “Well why would she have three pipes? Was that the partner’s?”

Ms Shaw: “They were living together at the time, Your Honour, yes.”

Judge Clarke: “Yeah, but she’s pleaded guilty to the possessing of three pipes.”

Ms Shaw replied: “Yes, Your Honour.”

Judge Clarke then said: “And the allegation is that they were used.”

Ms Shaw: “Yes, Your Honour.”

The exchange continued and Ms Shaw said Robertson was pleading guilty to being in possession of the pipes.

“They were at her home, she was in possession of them but, and they were used, but my instructions are not by her,” Ms Shaw said.

Ms Shaw then referred to a statement of facts.

“The way it reads is that she was explaining about the cash obtained - it reads as her trying to hide that these were in fact monies she received from dangerous drugs,” Ms Shaw said.

“What has in fact happened, Your Honour, is she had some... Your Honour, she had $7000 there, not the $650 that is the subject of the charge.”

Judge Clarke: “She had what, sorry?”

Ms Shaw: “Had $7000.”

Judge Clarke: “Ah.”

Ms Shaw: “The prosecution has accepted that it was only $650 of that that was in relation to the supply of dangerous drugs. So she did actually have money that she was explaining to the police was legitimate money and that’s been accepted by the prosecution.

“Her admissions in that respect, are in my submission, honest...I’m just simply trying to say her admissions are in her favour, Your Honour.”

Judge Clarke: “Ah, well no. Because it says that the money had come from selling cars so then after her phone was seized and they went through the messages, she then accepted...so she did lie, didn’t she?”

Ms Shaw replied: “In some small way, Your Honour.”

Ms Shaw said that since this offending almost a year ago, Robertson had separated from her then partner and she instructed that she had got a hold on her addiction “away from his influence”.

Ms Shaw ultimately submitted that Robertson could be immediately released, but if Judge Clarke was against her on that, her submission was that any time in jail served should be less than the one third-mark.

Judge Clarke then noted that Robertson had received probation twice and parole twice.

“She’s had probation for two years, probation for 18 months, and parole twice - none of that’s deterred her.”

Before handing down sentence, Judge Clarke made it clear what he thought.

“The schedule of facts, I was told, was agreed. Although I was told the things based upon your (Robertson’s) instructions, which are largely inconsistent with it,” he said.

“I don’t know if any of that is true. The prosecution obviously were confronted with this story today and chose not to take issue with it - doesn’t seem to make much sense to me.”

Judge Clarke sentenced Robertson to 18 months’ jail, wholly suspended for an operational period of four years.

Convictions were recorded.