Doonan woman convicted of trafficking and producing dangerous drugs sentenced after winning appeal

A synthetic cannabis trafficker was about to sell her business when she was uncertain about the legality of her product but was arrested before she could do so.

Convicted drug trafficker Phaedra Joy Barrett (left) with her barrister Lincoln Crowley leaving Maroochydore District Court. Photo: Maddie Manwaring

A convicted Sunshine Coast synthetic cannabis trafficker has had her life "ruined" due to seven year delay in the court proceedings.

Phaedra Joy Barrett, 49, pleaded guilty on Monday to trafficking and producing dangerous drugs from April 2013 to August 2014, and possessing cash and other items used to run her synthetics cannabis business on the Sunshine Coast.

The mother of two had previously appealed a court ruling after she was found guilty by a judge-only trial and sentenced to two years imprisonment in 2020.

Barrett had served 198 days in prison before winning her appeal and was released on bail.

Police had raided Barrett's Doonan property after intercepting two packages of a chemical used to treat dried vegetable material, commonly known as synthetic cannabinoids, after Barrett had collected them from the Caloundra post office on August 25 and 29, 2014.

Officers found Barrett with $77,350 cash; mobile phone messages and emails regarding orders and vegetable material treated with synthetic cannabinoids in clip-seal bags.

However, it was determined only $2500 of the cash was related to the trafficking business, the rest was connected to Barrett's other business dealings, the court heard.

Barrett had also informed police during the raid she rented a storage unit, where police later found other items which could be used to produce synthetic cannabis.

Convicted drug trafficker Phaedra Joy Barrett (left) with her barrister Lincoln Crowley leaving Maroochydore District Court. Photo: Maddie Manwaring

 

The court heard the chemicals, which had been imported from the UK, while not illegal did have a similar chemical makeup to dangerous drugs under the legislation.

Barrett's barrister Lincoln Crowley said his client had been in the process of selling her business when arrested after changes to the legislation made her uncertain about the legality of her product.

Mr Crowley said during 2013-14 there had been a "crackdown on synthetic cannabis" which prompted Barrett to sell her business due to the "uncertainty" of what the new legislation would mean.

But since the raid in 2014, Barrett's financial situation worsened.

"Once police had seized products, she had no longer a source of business," Mr Crowley said.

"Everything about her employment and business activities was put on hold because of police involvement.

"She'd just bought the property, she had no income, no resources of income to pay for the loan

"For her overnight effectively she lost her home … and children lost their schooling (having to go into home schooling).

"She did not anticipate this matter would take to seven years."

Barrett had previously pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited drug.

She was convicted and given a suspended 18-month sentence.

Judge Nicole Kefford said she considered the 198 days Barrett had already served when she determined the Doonan woman's sentence.

Originally published as Doonan woman convicted of trafficking and producing dangerous drugs sentenced after winning appeal