Rockhampton’s Beau James Clarke jailed for supplying cocaine

The father-of-four had prescribed medical marijuana for a leg injury “lived on drug money” for two months prior to being busted with a large amount of marijuana.

Beau James Clarke, 35.

A father of four will miss Christmas with his children after being jailed for supplying cocaine and possessing a large amount of marijuana.

Beau James Clarke, 35, was working full-time as a tyre fitter when he supplied drugs nine times and was busted in possession of 660g of marijuana, Rockhampton District Court heard on December 5.

Crown prosecutor Cameron Keast said police searched Clarke’s residence on March 11, 2022, seizing his mobile phone and finding the marijuana, along with two clip-seal bags of 0.845g of cocaine.

He said evidence showed Clarke supplied 7g of marijuana four times, 3g of marijuana once and cocaine four times, weighing 0.5g, 0.4g, 1.75g and an unknown amount.

Mr Keast said it was alleged the marijuana was for both personal use and commercial.

Judge Jeff Clarke said the marijuana found in his home was in cryovac bags and clip-seal bags, in chopped and powder forms.

He said a message on his phone revealed the defendant had claimed to have “lived on drug money” for the past two months.

Beau James Clarke, 35.

Defence barrister Scott Moon said his client started consuming marijuana when he was 12 years old and took cocaine sporadically in adulthood.

He said Clarke grew up in Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Jimboomba, and left school during Year 10 to undertake an electrical apprenticeship which he did not complete.

Mr Moon said the father-of-four worked in the electrical industry for 10 years and then in the tyre fitting industry since.

He said Clarke broke his leg in 2022 and was prescribed medicinal marijuana for the pain.

Clarke had an eight-page criminal record and was on a three-month suspended sentence handed down in Rockhampton Magistrates Court in September 2021 at the time of this offending.

He pleaded guilty to nine counts of supplying drugs, one of possessing over 500g of a schedule two drug, one of possessing anything used in a crime and one of possessing a dangerous drug.

Clarke’s suspended sentence was activated to run concurrently with the two-year prison for the latest offences.

His parole release was set for May 6, 2024.