Alleged drug trafficker released on bail

A Sunshine Coast woman who blames her marriage for her descent into drug use has been released on bail.

Tamika Shae Maker has been released on bail and set to face drug charges in the Supreme Court later this year.

AN ALLEGED drug trafficker has been released on bail to face further charges in the Supreme Court later this year.

Tamika Shae Maker fronted Maroochydore Magistrates Court today on video link and pleaded guilty to multiple charges including receiving tainted property as well as possessing a knife and knuckle dusters and breaching bail.

Magistrate Haydn Stjernqvist sentenced Maker to a two year probation period with no convictions recorded.

Police prosecutor Allison Johnstone opposed Maker being released on bail, stating the serious nature of the alleged charges Maker was facing in the Supreme Court.

Maker’s charges include trafficking dangerous drugs and multiple charges of possessing dangerous drugs including schedule 1.

She will enter a plea for those charges in December.

“We say that it will likely be a substantial period of imprisonment for the 63g of methamphetamine gross and we will await the certificate to return in September for confirmation of purity,” Ms Johnstone said.

“The allegations of trafficking are strong and we say we have a strong case against her considering all the individual components of that offending.”

The defendant’s lawyer Patrick Meehan told the court Maker’s alleged offences were mainly the result of a previous “horrible” marriage, where she was introduced to drugs.

“At the time of the offending, the defendant had an issue with the use of illicit drugs,” he said.

“There’s no doubt she needs support to refrain from the return to illicit drugs.

“The past three months in prison she’s had the opportunity to reflect on her conduct and also to overcome the urges.”

Mr Meehan told the court the Supreme Court matter wouldn’t be finalised until about Christmas as the drug analysis for the possession charge would not be returned until September.

The court heard she was planning to undergo a rehabilitation course which would mitigate the risk of committing further offences.

“If granted bail it gives her the opportunity to at least repair and prepare herself for the sentences she’s going to receive in the Supreme Court (if convicted),” Mr Meehan said.

Mr Stjernqvist took this into consideration, as well as the fact she had no prior criminal history.

“No more rubbish stories about not hearing the doorbell,” he said in regards to Maker’s previous breach of bail.

He granted Maker bail.

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