Sharron Lee Smith busted with meth, marijuana in her car at Norman Gardens

Despite having seen what meth had done to her own daughter, a court heard, this Central Qld grandmother still opted to give the drug a go.

A grandmother who raised one of her grandchildren after her daughter became addicted to methamphetamines has fronted court for the first time in 20 years after being busted with the illicit substance herself.

A grandmother who raised one of her grandchildren after her daughter became addicted to methamphetamines has fronted court for the first time in 20 years after being busted with the illicit substance herself, a court heard.

Sharron Lee Smith, 56, was busted on August 11, 2023, at Norman Gardens possessing 255 grams of marijuana and 5.575 grams of meth, along with a glass pipe, metal grinder, baton and scales.

Police found the drugs and items in her car.

Police prosecutor Brandon Selic said according to Smith’s criminal history, she had not been before a court for 20 years.

“This sort of offending is new to (Smith),” he said.

Defence lawyer Grant Cagney said his client, a mother of four, had worked the majority of her life in aged care and disability services including the Cerebral Palsy League.

He said she had recently been unemployed due to a medical condition where she suffering sciatica pain due to nerve damage and she was unable to feel her legs.

Mr Cagney said Smith, who had raised her drug-addicted daughter’s child, had been bedridden at times.

He said his client had been someone who had used marijuana throughout her life and she had, after being charged with these offences, been accepted into a rehabilitation centre but couldn’t ‘check in’ due to being in a wheelchair at the time.

Mr Cagney said Smith had consumed marijuana for the majority of her life and when her sciatica pain worsened, an associate of her daughter’s introduced her to meth.

He said the drugs were found in Smith’s car and there were no allegations the drugs were going to be sold to others.

Smith pleaded guilty to one count of possessing more than two grams of a schedule one drug and one of possessing a drug.

She also pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing used pipes, one of possessing anything used in a crime, one of possessing a restricted item and one of failing to appear in court.

She was placed on a 12-month probation order and no convictions were recorded.