Meth mums, dads from Mackay and Whitsundays courts
Miners, beauticians, stay-at-home mums — meth doesn’t discriminate. Here’s the names and photos of parents who ended up in Mackay-Whitsunday courts on related charges in the past year.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
From dealers to traffickers, users, and the people who get caught up in between, these 16 Mackay and Whitsunday region mums and dads faced court for meth-related charges in the past year.
CONVICTIONS RECORDED
Chloe Victoria Smith
A glam mum of three attacked her ex-partner’s new girlfriend in a violent “home invasion” style incident while on meth.
Chloe Victoria Smith was previously convicted and spent eight months of a three-year term behind bars for her role in her then partner Reece William Luscombe’s meth trafficking business. He was jailed for nine years.
While on bail for serious drug offending and under the influence of meth, Smith went to a South Mackay home where she lashed out against the other woman punching her multiple in the neck and chest.
Smith was initially charged with grievous bodily harm, but this was replaced with assault occasioning bodily harm, and burglary, to which she pleaded guilty.
Because of Smith’s ongoing parole, Judge Lynham determined the best option to allow her to continue with her rehabilitation was 18 months jail, immediately suspended. Convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Sam Hennessy
A meth-trafficking mum learned she would not have to go back to jail after a Supreme Court judge agreed it would undo all her rehabilitative efforts.
Sam Hennessy had been peddling methamphetamine to 13 customers for just more than a month between December 2021 and February 2022 in South Mackay.
Crown prosecutor Tiffany Lawrence said this marked a significant escalation in her criminal conduct given her criminal history.
Mackay Supreme Court heard the woman, aged 27, ran a wholesale trafficking business, supplying meth 23 times in quantities from one gram to a half ball with the price ranging from $400 to $800.
It was accepted most sales were at street level but a concerning aspect involved trafficking larger amounts to at least four customers she knew planned to sell the dangerous drug.
Hennessy pleaded guilty to trafficking and was jailed for 3.5 years, suspended after 80 days pre-sentence custody which was declared as time already served. The suspended sentence will hang over her head for four years. A conviction was recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Jodi Kym Edwards
A mum of three turned wannabe Moranbah meth queen bragged about her drug trafficking business to an undercover cop, telling him she had stacks of cash stashed at her home.
Jodi Kym Edwards, 36, was the primary suspect in multi-branch police operation Tango Gismo, targeting drug trafficking across Central Queensland and resulting in the arrest of 20 people on 117 charges.
She mainly sold meth and marijuana but could “easily source other drugs such as MDMA and on occasion (LSD)”, Mackay Supreme Court heard.
Edwards supplied drugs on at least 58 occasions during the trafficking period and had at least 29 customers, selling in amounts from 0.1g up to 0.5g, as well as half balls of meth (1.75g).
She regularly sold on tick, had to chase up drug debts and made threats to those who owed her money including that she would “f---ing slaughter them”, “that you would punch their head in” and they would “die a slow painful death”.
Between August 21 to 24, 2021 Edwards supplied an undercover officer with 1g of meth for $750, told him she could supply him drugs and boasted she had $20,000 cash from drug sales stashed, which was a lie.
New Zealand national Edwards pleaded guilty to charges including meth trafficking, aggravated drug possession and possessing cash from drug sales between July 14 and November 13, 2021 at Moranbah.
Justice Graeme Crow said he had been tendered nine clear drug screens and accepted “that you are drug free and have been for a considerable period of time”.
She was jailed for three years’ jail but allowed immediate parole and convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Vanessa Lee Stringer
A soon-to-be grandmother returned to court for the second time in two years after she was caught supplying a small quantity of meth.
Vanessa Lee Stringer, 46, appeared in Mackay District Court after being charged with possession of meth and supplying drugs.
Stringer previously appeared in the Mackay Magistrates Court on fraud charges after she was found in possession of drugs and stolen items which she then sold.
Stringer’s latest offences began while she was on parole for previous drug offences when, on September 27, 2023 she was charged with possessing and distributing approximately 0.1 gram of meth, after police executed two searches at her home.
She pleaded guilty to all charges.
Stringer was sentenced to a suspended imprisonment of 15 months with a probation period of two years attached and convictions were recorded for each charge.
FULL STORY HERE
Carmen Leigh Shadbolt
A Mackay mum-of-three with a chequered past fell back into old ways and made the mistake of trying to hide her friend’s drugs when they were pulled over.
Carmen Leigh Shadbolt was a passenger in a car pulled over on April 7, 2023 when police found two clipseal bags of meth in her bra – with 1.63g and 3.46g of substance of about 74 per cent purity.
Her barrister Scott Moon said the drugs had not been hers, but she had made the “silly decision” to accept them when another occupant of the car handed them to her.
Mackay Supreme Court heard Shadbolt had made positive changes in her life since a previous sentence for setting fire to the home she was renting from family while high on ice.
Shadbolt was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment suspended with immediate parole for possessing dangerous drugs.
Convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Rachel Palmer
A meth-dealing mum of four has avoided spending any time behind bars after she supplied the highly addictive drug in multiple street-level deals.
Mackay woman Rachel Palmer “acted as an intermediary” when she provided methamphetamines five times over about two and a half weeks in October 2022.
Mackay District Court heard her offending came to light when police executed a search warrant and uncovered information on her phone.
The amounts included two points of meth on three occasions, three points and an unknown amount for between $140 and $210.
The court heard Palmer only received $40 payment for her role in two of the sales.
When she was arrested she was also busted possessing 0.176g of pure meth over eight separate bags and had spent no time in custody on remand.
Palmer pleaded guilty to seven charges including five counts of supplying dangerous drugs, and one count each of possessing dangerous drugs and possessing anything used in the commission of a crime.
Palmer was jailed for 12 months with immediate parole. Convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Damien James Tonga
A Mackay dad turned street level meth dealer pushed drugs to others to fund his own addiction claiming “life stressors” pushed his descent into ice abuse.
Damian James Tonga was “extremely ashamed” his father’s home was raided as part of a major drug bust involving 52 arrests, Mackay District Court heard.
His father was not accused of any wrongdoing.
His phone was found with messages setting up multiple deals after Operation Tango Muscatel exposed $625,000 worth of drugs in a raid of 16 Mackay properties.
Mackay police seized multiple weapons including handguns, rifles and shotguns, $425,000 worth of meth, cocaine, MDMA, steroids and marijuana and $200,000 in cash during the August 2022 raids.
Tonga pleaded guilty to 14 counts of drug supply and using his mobile phone in the commission of a drug offence.
He was jailed for 18 months jail with immediate suspension for an operational period of three years.
FULL STORY HERE
Selena Jean Thomson
A young mum stole clothes multiple times from St Vincent de Paul charity donation bins in a series of offences following her relapse into drug use.
Mackay Magistrate Court heard Selena Jean Thomson was initially “opportunistic” when she first ransacked the Cannonvale Vinnies on December 10, 2023, but she returned twice more on December 17 and 23 despite being on parole.
Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said Thomson “targeted” the charity shop before her offending “spiralled” in the New Year when she defrauded Bunnings Airlie Beach by hiding a $500+ power inverter in a bag of mulch to steal it on February 4, 2024.
Thomson pleaded guilty to three counts of stealing, fraud, possession of suspected stolen property, possession of drug utensils, and meth possession.
Thomson was given a head sentence of nine months imprisonment with a full time release date on June 28, 2024, after which she was ordered to complete community service and pay $549 restitution to Bunnings.
FULL STORY HERE
Wayne Keith George Haupt
A meth-addicted dad was asleep when his home was raided by police, revealing he had supplied others with the dangerous drug.
Wayne Keith George Haupt was found to have supplied four people with “street-level amounts” of meth in Mackay District Court, the largest amount being $300 for 0.5g.
Crown prosecutor Allegra Thomas said police found Haupt asleep in the main bedroom before he was arrested on October 26, 2022.
The court heard Haupt had spent 286 days in pre-sentence custody, and that the offences had been committed while he was on parole.
Haupt pleaded guilty to four counts of supplying dangerous drugs and possessing a dangerous drug.
Haupt said he could, and was sentenced to 15 months parole with immediate release after 286 days pre-sentence custody declared time served.
FULL STORY HERE
Emma Claire Jowsey
A meth mum was caught after she and an unknown man fled from a stolen car, in which police found a bag containing 2.02 grams of the drug.
Emma Claire Jowsey, 39, tried to escape police on February 1 after officers on Holland St in West Mackay checked the car’s Victorian plates and found it reported stolen.
Mackay Supreme Court heard Jowsey’s son was 14-years-old, and that her offending had occurred just four months after her release from jail in September 2022.
The court heard a search of the car revealed a bag of meth in the passenger side door and packages addressed to different people in the back seat.
The court heard Jowsey was also found with an electric scale in her handbag, and told police she owned the car.
She pleaded guilty to one count of possessing dangerous drugs schedule 1 drug quantity of or exceeding schedule 3 but less than schedule 4.Jowsey was jailed for 18 months with immediate release, and 232 days in pre sentence custody declared as time served.
FULL STORY HERE
Kelli-Ann Dair
A Mackay region mother of three was just 0.236g of pure meth away from a jail cell and getting the title of being a drug trafficker, the court was told.
Kelli-Ann Dair faced Mackay District Court where it was heard she supplied meth on five occasions, for a “total of 10 points”, with a police search at her address on March 23 finding 1.764g of pure meth in 2.335g of “white crystal substance”.
Officers also found a glass pipe, straws, empty clip seal bags, digital scales and a debit card not belonging to Dair.
She had only the month before in court been placed on a four month good behaviour bond for possessing meth and scales.
Dair pleaded guilty to possessing dangerous drugs, possessing tainted property, utensils or pipes that had been used, possessing anything used in the commission of a crime, and five counts of possessing dangerous drugs.
She was jailed for 12 months with immediate parole and recorded convictions for all offences.
FULL STORY HERE
Jade Emma Mack
A drug addicted mum-of-one busted with a large amount of high-quality meth belonging to someone else avoided going to jail after it was found to be in her and the community’s best interests for an immediate release.
Jade Emma Mack was pulled over for a licence check when police found a large stash of meth and used drug items under the steering wheel; the quantity of ice totalled 7.183g pure in 9.490g of substance which Justice David North said was a significant amount of high-quality meth in her possession.
Mack, a mum of one, pleaded guilty to aggravated meth possession, as well as multiple counts of supplying drugs and possessing a laptop used in her drug offending.
It was accepted the drugs, worth about $2400, did not belong to her but she was aware of them and had been in charge of the car at the time.
Justice North said Mack’s early plea, partial admissions following her arrest and limited history were in her favour and he accepted it was common ground that immediate parole “was in her and the community’s interest”.
Mack was jailed for 22 months with immediate parole and convictions were recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Nishanthi Maree Csont
A Mackay mum of three was told her honest admissions to police were her saving grace after she stashed drugs inside of a washing machine.
Nishanthi Maree Csont was found with 2.499g of methamphetamine in a bag during a police stop on March 11, 2021.
The next day she admitted the bag was hers.
Mackay Supreme Court heard the 34 year old was placed on a good behaviour order only to then breach it weeks later on May 4.
A search warrant of Csont’s then partner’s home in Rural View revealed another bag hidden inside his washer.
The partner is not accused of any wrongdoing.
It contained empty clip seal bags, 1.79g of meth, and 5.957g of GBL – a precursor to GHB.
Csont admitted the bag was hers and then spent three days in police custody.Csont pleaded guilty to possessing a banned substance, supplying dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs, and possessing dangerous drugs exceeding two grams, and was jailed for 15 months with immediate parole.
FULL STORY HERE
Shiann Karly Ashe
A Mackay mum who previously brought meth to a courthouse was busted dealing drugs after police searched her home in late 2023.
Mackay District Court heard they found two clip seal bags filled with 1.5g of methamphetamine, less than a gram of marijuana, a glass bong, glass pipe and a phone.
A search of the phone revealed eight instances of supplying drugs between June 30, 2023 and September 9, 2023.
Ashe pleaded guilty to a raft of charges including eight counts of supplying a dangerous drug, two counts of possessing a dangerous drug and one count of possessing property obtained from supplying.
She was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and immediately released on parole, convictions were recorded in relation to all matters.
FULL STORY HERE
CONVICTIONS NOT RECORDED
Jacqueline Maree Gilliam
A young Nebo mother and dump truck operator pulled over for driving unlicensed tried to run away from and assaulted police, before her texts showed she had tried to sell meth and stolen guns.
Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said Jacqueline Maree Gilliam had been a “law abiding citizen for 29 years” before a relationship break down sent her down a dark path towards drugs and criminality.
The 30 year old pleaded guilty to receiving tainted property, assaulting an officer, obstructing an officer, ignoring an officer’s direction, possessing dangerous drugs, supplying dangerous drugs, unlawfully supplying weapons, possessing drug utensils, trespassing, and driving with a license disqualified by court order.
Ms Hartigan said it was in the best interest of the community that Gilliam rehabilitate herself and sentenced her to a 12 month probation period with no convictions recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Shane Andrew Phelan
A Mackay miner and father-of-two turned to drugs to help get past the collapse of his second marriage, but found himself in hot water after getting in the middle of a drug deal.
The court heard Shane Andrew Phelan, 51, was at a low point in his life when he acted as an intermediary between two parties for the exchange of 3.5g of methamphetamine for $1000 – in exchange he would receive a small quantity of methamphetamine for his own usage.
Phelan pleaded guilty to one charge of supplying dangerous drugs in Mackay District Court with defence barrister Scott McLennan telling the court his client never actually had possession of the methamphetamine and he didn’t pass any drugs or cash.
Phelan was ordered to pay $2500 within three months from March 18, 2025 and convictions were not recorded.
FULL STORY HERE
Crash blocks busy Whitsunday road
Two cars have collided on a busy Whitsunday road early this afternoon, less than an hour after a man was rushed to hospital after a crash in the Mackay region.
‘Send nudes or I’ll hurt myself’: Rapist’s alleged Snapchat threat
A convicted Qld rapist faces fresh rape and child grooming charges after recent alleged chats online which police say escalated to physical abuse.