Dealers, homegrown stashes: Warwick drug offenders exposed – full list

From a Warwick mother busted helping run her partner’s drug operation to a woman whose arrest led police to her supply of meth and pills, these were the residents sentenced in court recently for drug offending. SEE THE FULL LIST:

A Warwick mother of two busted working in her partner’s marijuana operation was just one of the residents sentenced for drug offending in court this week.

Police seized Peggy Maree Matthews’ phone during a raid of a Myrtle Ave home on March 8, with a search of the device uncovering a series of text messages revealing her role in several drug supplies in the months leading up to the search.

Warwick Magistrates Court heard the texts included, “What do I get for 40?” and “Can you do a 20, please?”, referring to small sales of marijuana worth about $20 – $50.

Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa said the 38-year-old confirmed in a police interview th

at she was helping her partner sell marijuana, including weighing and bagging the drugs before making deliveries.

“The defendant stated she did not play a primary role in the drug supply, however, she was left with the task of providing it to the customers for her partner when he was not at home,” he said.

Duty lawyer Phillip Crook said Matthews had no criminal history and asked that her mobile phone not be forfeited to the state so she could have access to photos of her two sons.

Matthews pleaded guilty to four counts of supplying dangerous drugs and one of possessing an item used in the commission of a crime.

She was fined $1200 and no conviction was recorded.

These were the other Warwick residents sentenced in court for drug offending recently:

Being caught holding drug paraphernalia when police raided his home was only the beginning of strife for a young Warwick man who would soon front court on a number of serious charges.

Officers searched Mathew Samual Devaliet-Burnie’s Warwick home in March, uncovering a drug stash including 12.5g of marijuana and a small quantity of meth along with two bongs, two sets of scales, and two grinders.

Sergeant de Lissa told the Warwick court that text messages on the 23-year-old’s phone contained “general offers” to supply varying amounts of marijuana to his friends throughout the month prior.

Duty lawyer Phillip Crook said Devaliet-Burnie had previously been homeless and was trying to get back on his feet at the time of the offending, with his drug use an attempt at self-medicating mental health concerns.

Devaliet-Burnie pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying dangerous drugs, two counts of possessing dangerous drugs, and one each of possessing drug utensils and an item used in the commission of a crime.

He was fined $1000 and no conviction was recorded.

A man who was busted growing his own drug stash for the third time has been warned he needs to kick his addiction before it earns him a severe penalty.

Police searched Daniel James McCarthy’s Stanthorpe home on February 19 and found four marijuana plants, each up to 1.2m tall, growing in the man’s backyard.

Warwick Magistrates Court heard the 27-year-old was also caught with 5.2g of the drug and admitted he was cultivating the plants for his own use.

The Stanthorpe father was urged to take significant steps to quit using marijuana and any other drugs by magistrate Virginia Sturgess, who said this third conviction for producing drugs clearly suggested he had a problem that needed addressing.

McCarthy pleaded guilty to one count each of producing dangerous drugs and possessing dangerous drugs.

He was placed on probation for 12 months.

A Warwick father has narrowly avoided time behind bars after he was busted with drugs and a swag of stolen property in his home.

Police raided Brent Anthony Hamers’ house on February 16, where they uncovered a small amount of a marijuana and tobacco mixture and a bong that belonged to the 32-year-old.

The Warwick court was told Hamers was caught with power tools including three hedge trimmers, a chainsaw, and a brush cutter that were believed to have been stolen, and a car belonging to Hamers’ partner parked at the property was soon found to have stolen registration plates.

Defence lawyer Hamish Chapman said his client suspected the power tools may have had dubious origins when he bought them from another person a few days earlier, but conceded it did not deter Hamers from purchasing them.

Hamers pleaded guilty to one count each of possessing dangerous drugs, possessing drug utensils, and possessing and receiving tainted property.

He was sentenced to three months’ jail, which was wholly suspended for 12 months. Hamers was also fined $500.

A violent outburst at a Warwick home in the middle of the night quickly led to a stack of charges and court appearance for Justine StacyClose.

Police were called to a Douglas St house at about 12.30am on December 18 last year after reports Close had been yelling at its occupants from the street, banging on the windows and trying to force her way in the door before hurling an object through a window.

Sergeant de Lissa said the 42-year-old was soon arrested and taken to the watch-house, where police uncovered 8.9g of marijuana, a small quantity of meth, and two oxycodone tablets stashed in her handbag.

Justine Stacy Close, 42, was sentenced for drug offending in Warwick Magistrates Court this week. Picture: file

It was less than two months later on February 9 that Close had another run-in with police, with the mother of three busted driving on an expired learner’s licence while behind the wheel of an unregistered and uninsured vehicle fitted with two different number plates.

Defence lawyer Hamish Chapman told the Warwick court that Close had an extensive criminal history and had long struggled with drug and alcohol abuse, which had been exacerbated by recent family issues.

“She accepts she needs help. It just seems that those difficulties at home have made getting out and making those appointments difficult,” he said.

Close pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing dangerous drugs and one each of committing public nuisance, wilful damage, driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, unlicensed driving, possessing cancelled registration plates, and driving a vehicle with incorrect registration plates.

She was placed on probation for eight months and fined $800.