Meth busts, pill stashes: Warwick drug offenders named – full list

From a repeat offender nabbed carrying ice to a dealer caught napping beside his own stash and tick sheet, these are the Warwick residents recently sentenced in court for drug offences. SEE THE FULL LIST:

A convicted drug trafficker who claims he has been on the straight and narrow since his last run-in with police was just one of the residents recently sentenced in the Warwick courts for drug offending.

Karl John Roche was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by police on Albion St in February, 2020, with an unnamed woman driving and a young girl sitting in the back seat.

Police prosecutor Andrew Grafton told Warwick Magistrates Court that officers found 13.8g marijuana in a container hidden on the floor of the back seat, which Roche admitted was for his own personal use.

Sergeant Grafton said police had raided the 42-year-old’s home only a few months earlier in November, 2019, where they uncovered an illegal flick knife stashed in a wardrobe in his bedroom.

The court heard Roche was sentenced for trafficking drugs in August and September, 2019, and various other drug-related offences from the same period in the Toowoomba Supreme Court earlier this month, receiving a three-year jail term with immediate release on parole.

Defence lawyer Joe McConnell contended his client would not have received a more significant punishment if these minor charges had been dealt with at the same time.

“He’s been drug-free since that time and has engaged with medical services, psychologists, and psychiatrists,” Mr McConnell said.

Magistrate Virginia Sturgess warned Roche he had a long stretch of parole ahead of him and urged him to keep his life on track, referencing that he would likely have been on bail for the trafficking charges when he was busted with the marijuana.

Roche pleaded guilty to one count each of possessing dangerous drugs and possessing an unauthorised Category M weapon.

He was fined $500.

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When police declared a crime scene at a Warwick property earlier this year, they stumbled across a sleeping drug dealer tucked away with his stash.

Jason Craig Norwood, 39, was napping in a shed when police busted in on March 15, with officers finding him with five Valium tablets, 14g marijuana, cash from drug sales, a collection of bongs and pipes, and a set of scales and a grinder.

Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa told the court $650 in cash was found in a black velcro case with a tick sheet indicating marijuana sales.

Lawyer Phillip Crook told the court his client was given the Valium by a mate for pain relief after he cut it open and stapled it together at home with a first aid kit.

Norwood, who has two pages of drug history, pleaded guilty to supplying and possessing dangerous drugs, possessing S4 medicines, possessing property suspected of being the proceeds of a drug offence, and possessing drug utensils.

He was placed on six months’ probation and fined $400.

A woman with a longstanding drug habit has been brought back to court after being busted with drugs while on parole for dealing ice and marijuana.

Melissa Welstead was found with 1.886g of pure methamphetamine, buprenorphine strips, digital scales and a straw, drug utensils and a small amount of cash at her Stanthorpe home on September 8, 2021.

The court was told the meth was for personal use.

The Southern Downs mother of two was at the time on parole for “low-level” drug deals she said were carried out to support her own habit.

Barrister Frank Martin said Welstead had endured a difficult couple of years, with her teenage children stuck in New Zealand with their father and unable to return home during extended Covid lockdowns.

Mr Martin conceded his client was a drug addict, but said she was “trying to do better”.

Judge Dennis Lynch said it was concerning the offences were committed while the 47-year-old was subject to court orders for drug dealing.

“But at least it can be said you haven’t reverted to the sort of conduct that saw you placed on parole in September, 2020,” he said.

“You have made efforts to deal with your drug addiction, I accept you have been genuine in making those efforts but unfortunately at times you have relapsed with your drug use.”

Welstead pleaded guilty to nine charges, including possessing dangerous drugs, possessing property suspected of being the proceeds of a drug offences, possessing drug utensils, possessing property being used in the commission of an offence and one of possessing property being acquired for the commission of an offence.

She was sentenced to three months’ jail, which was wholly suspended for 12 months, and placed on probation for 12 months.

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An attempt to grow his own drug stash turned out to be a costly decision for Adrian Joshua Mathers.

Police searched the 48-year-old’s Loch Lomond home on May 12 and uncovered four marijuana plants growing in Mathers’ tomato patch, with each between 40cm and 60cm in height.

Warwick Magistrates Court heard Mathers’ criminal history suggested substance abuse had been an issue for him for most of his life, including when he was convicted of the same offence 10 years prior.

A self-represented Mathers said he was growing the marijuana for health reasons, and he had previously spoken with his doctor about a medicinal marijuana prescription but was unable to afford it.

Mathers pleaded guilty to one count of producing dangerous drugs and was fined $800.

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A Warwick woman who has previously served both parole and probation orders has claimed her latest brush with the law has prompted her to start drug counselling.

Tamsin Cherie Crank was at a Kenilworth St home at about 10.30pm on April 22 when police were called to the scene, where her appearance and behaviour quickly led officers to believe she was under the influence of drugs.

Police searched a car parked on the street nearby and found an uncapped syringe in the glovebox, which the 49-year-old said she was completely unaware of as she had not used drugs for several weeks.

The cap belonging to the needle was found in Crank’s back pocket shortly afterwards, and she claimed at the time that she had been “set up”.

The Warwick woman represented herself when she appeared in court, saying her former parole officer contacted her after this latest charge and gave her contacts for mental health support and drug and alcohol counselling in the area.

Crank pleaded guilty to one count of failing to take reasonable care or precautions with a syringe and was fined $300.

NO CONVICTION RECORDED

Michael David Connell was brought before the Warwick courts after he was busted with a small drug stash.

Officers searched a Willi St home on May 5 in relation to another matter, uncovering 0.1g of meth and a used glass pipe belonging to Connell at the time.

Police prosecutor Andrew Grafton said the 21-year-old was offered a drug diversion in relation to marijuana also in Connell’s possession during the raid.

Connell pleaded guilty to one count of possessing dangerous drugs.

He was placed on a six-month good behaviour bond and reminded to attend his drug diversion appointment.

No conviction was recorded.

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Seth Matthew Osborn walked away from court with a three-month good behaviour bond after he was busted carrying a cone piece in Warwick.

Duty lawyer Clare Hine told the Warwick court the 20-year-old had a small criminal history, but it did not feature any similar offending.

Osborn pleaded guilty to one count of possessing drug utensils and must complete a drug education session as part of his court sentence.

No conviction was recorded.