Meth-dealing mum avoids time behind bars

The Stanthorpe mum of two claimed she only sold drugs to support her own ice addiction.

The Stanthorpe mother of two was involved in almost a dozen drug deals last year. Picture: file

A STANTHORPE mum has avoided spending time behind bars after claiming she only sold meth and marijuana to support her own drug addiction.

When police raided Melissa Welstead’s Stanthorpe home in October 2019, they found on her phone the details of nearly a dozen drug deals within the region.

The Warwick District Court heard eight of the supplies involved varying quantities of methamphetamines, with a further three related to marijuana.

Crown prosecutor Elizabeth Kelso said the 45-year-old was often the one to instigate the drug deals.

According to defence barrister Jessica Goldie, her client started using drugs to self-medicate the depression, anxiety, and PTSD she suffered after leaving a violent relationship and becoming a single mother of two.

Ms Goldie told the court Welstead took minimal profit from the low-level drug deals, as almost any sale went straight into supporting her own meth addiction.

Welstead’s mother anxiously watched the proceedings from the back of the courtroom.

Judge Nicole Kefford commended the mother’s own engagement with mental health and drug rehabilitation services, and urged her against reoffending.

Welstead pleaded guilty to 11 counts of supplying a dangerous drug and one count of possessing an item connected to a drug offence.

She was sentenced to 15 months’ jail with immediate parole.

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