Wayne Bevon William Burnell jailed for helping brother run drug trafficking business including carrying out drug debt enforcements

A Central Qld man with a history of violence has been jailed for assisting his brother in his alleged drug trafficking business, including carrying out brutal drug debt collections.

A man who once used a shovel to break bones in his neighbour’s face has been jailed for assisting his brother in his alleged drug trafficking business, including carrying out violent drug debt collections.

Wayne Bevon William Burnell, 38, pleaded guilty on February 23 in the Supreme Court in Rockhampton to one count of trafficking a dangerous drug, and one each of possessing a dangerous drug, possessing drug utensils, failing to properly dispose of a syringe and possessing anything used in the commission of a crime.

The court heard Burnell assisted his half brother, Darren Burnell, in his alleged methamphetamines and marijuana trafficking business for 2.5 months of the six month operation period.

The charges were laid after police intercepted telecommunications involving drug trafficking of meth and marijuana in Central Queensland and a search of Wayne Burnell’s Depot Hill residence on February 2, 2021.

While Darren Burnell has yet to have his alleged drug trafficking charge finalised in court, some details of the business were outlined during Wayne Burnell’s sentencing.

Justice Graeme Crow said Wayne Burnell allegedly assisted his brother by supplying marijuana six times to customers and carried out drug debt collections, collecting $2750.

He said Wayne also allowed his Depot Hill residence to be used for drug crimes on three occasions, hid drug money and was given access to commercial quantities of drugs six times including being the middleman on one occasion for a 9.4g supply of methamphetamines.

Justice Crow said Wayne Burnell arranged the sale of 0.3g of meth for $300, 3.5g for $400, seven grams for $1800 and requested 900g of marijuana he planned to make a $100 profit by selling to a customer.

He said Wayne Burnell also arranged the sale of 900g of marijuana for $5000 which Darren allegedly believed was a set up.

“A particularly troubling feature of these facts is the enforcement on behalf of Darren,” Justice Crow said.

“On seven occasions, you assisted by enforcing or offering to assist enforcement of debts with violence.”

He said Darren allegedly asked Wayne to contact one female and tell her she “is dead”.

Justice Crow said on another occasion, Darren allegedly asked Wayne if he was “ready to go to work” as he had just allegedly bashed a man and planned to get the man’s mate.

He said Darren also allegedly told Wayne he would kick in the door and grab another female customer by “knifepoint” as part of a drug debt enforcement activity.

The court heard Wayne started using marijuana when he was 12 and meth when he was 18.

He was injecting 0.2g of meth per day at the time of his arrest.

The father-of-seven admitted to being addicted to meth since he was 18.

His criminal record included an assault occasioning bodily harm conviction for a shovel attack on his neighbour in 2011 but he did not have any more dealings with the court until 2018 for possessing dangerous drugs.

Justice Crow sentenced Wayne Burnell to three years prison, declared 386 days presentence custody and set parole release for April 1, 2022.