Sunshine Coast locals in court over meth offences revealed

The Sunshine Coast, like many regions, is battling the devastating effects of meth use which is sparking some shocking crimes. READ THE LIST OF CASES HERE

The Sunshine Coast is at war with methamphetamine as the drug wreaks havoc on users and spawns some shocking crimes in regional areas across the state.

Meth has been a common thread in Sunshine Coast courts with lawyers and defendants repeatedly sharing how the drug has fuelled crime.

Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare for Alcohol and other drug treatment services for Queensland states the Sunshine Coast is experiencing an increase trend in meth.

The drug was the principal substance of concern in 65 per cent of instances in 2015 to 2016 and rose to 86 per cent in 2019 to 2020.

A Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service spokesman said use of methamphetamines can change the brain structure and interfere with a user’s mental health recovery.

With 2731 drug offences on the Sunshine Coast in the past year meth lands a vast array of offenders in our courts, with crown prosecutor William Slack describing it as an “insidious” drug during a case this year.

Here’s some of the meth cases that have hit Coast courts of late:

Needle falls from man’s butt after trying to eat bag of meth

We couldn’t make the actions of this 21-year-old meth user up if we tried.

Levi Robert May was “off his head” when he bit a police officer who tried to stop him from eating a bag of crystal meth from his pants, before two syringes fell from his bottom during a violent outburst.

May had already assaulted multiple police officers when he reached into his pants and grabbed out a bag of meth that he tried to eat at the Maroochydore Watchhouse on January 14.

A female police officer tried to stop May from swallowing the drugs when he bit her forearm.

May was sentenced to a one-year suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to a string of 14 charges including possessing dangerous drugs, two counts of serious assault of a police officer while adversely affected in a public place and serious assault of a public officer by biting.

Levi Robert May was sentenced in Maroochydore Magistrates Court after he pleaded guilty to a string of 14 charges. Picture: Social media.

‘Off the rails’: How police busted meth dealing coast mum

This Sunshine Coast mum’s defence barrister Nathan Turner said she had gone “off the rails” and started using methamphetamines after ending a long-term relationship.

Emma Lee Crang, 37, pleaded guilty to supplying meth in Maroochydore District Court after a police operation targeting meth trafficking caught her supplying the drug to her associates.

The mother-of-two had arranged to meet her supplier at a pub along the Nicklin Way and had asked for 1.75g, which she paid $600 for, some of which she used for herself and some she supplied to other people.

She was sentenced to 15 months probation.

Meth dealing mum avoids jail time

Maree Ann Johnson was slapped with 16 counts of supplying methamphetamine after she dealt the drug to parts of the Sunshine Coast community.

Johnson had supplied meth to people on 14 occasions and was charged with supplying the drug to herself, with the intent to resell it, on two occasions in July 2019.

Crown prosecutor William Slack said people who ”infect our community” with methamphetamines should expect punishment.

Johnson, who pleaded guilty to all 16 counts, avoided actual jail time and was given a head sentence of two and a half years with immediate parole.

Maree Ann Johnson was sentenced to 2.5 years with immediate parole for supplying meth in 2019. Picture: Social media.

Empty tank foils meth-addicted teen’s high speed spree

A 19-year-old was given a stark warning that his meth use would kill him after being caught on a high-speed joy ride while intoxicated.

Tyler Grant Whitney was speeding, tailgating and crossing onto the wrong side of the road on the Bruce Highway, Steve Irwin Way and King Street in Buderim on August 8, 2020.

Police chased Whitney, who was “almost asleep”, for a short period in Buderim but he did not stop until he ran out of petrol and was arrested.

The learner driver was grossly intoxicated when he clocked speeds of up 140km/h.

He pleaded guilty in Maroochydore District Court to a long list of offences, including possession of a dangerous drug.

Judge Glen Cash said Whitney would end up in jail or dead if he continued using Meth.

Whitney was given two years imprisonment to commence at the end of his current sentence on August 22, 2022.

Meth addict busted harassing cops on Facebook

A 21-year-old Tewantin man whose meth addiction saw him rack up several charges in a matter of months made wild claims against two police officers on June 29.

Brant Maxwell Lleyton Moore said he posted a photo of the officers with the caption “leader of the Sunny Coast paedophile ring” for a laugh because he didn’t like cops.

His three-month crime spree where he was busted with meth and drug-related items came to an end when police found him behind a bush in Tewantin on November 10 after he tried to outrun them during a chase.

The court heard Moore had used drugs since he was 12 years old.

He pleaded guilty to possessing drugs, syringes, scales, money used in the commission of an offence, and suspected stolen property.

Moore was given a head sentence of six months’ jail to be suspended after serving two months.

Meth user forges 13 medical certificates to avoid court

This Caloundra drug user and supplier landed herself in hot water when she forged 13 medical certificates to avoid her court dates.

Kaitlin Hawkins, 20, was in a “drug deluded” state when she forged the medical certificates.

Hawkins pleaded guilty to the raft of offences including fraud, forgery, and possessing dangerous drugs which she committed between November 9, 2020 and August 24, 2020.

The court heard Hawkins was also found with a knife, methamphetamine and utensils in her possession.

She was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and will be eligible for parole on January 1, 2022.