Chinchilla woman Robyn Murdoch, 39, pleads guilty to drug trafficking and illegal weapon supply

A small town South West Queensland drug dealer sealed her own fate by peddling illicit drugs and weapons to an undercover cop.

Picture: File

A Chinchilla woman was convicted of drug trafficking and illegal weapon supply after she was caught in an covert police sting.

Robyn Silvia Murdoch, 39, pleaded guilty to multiple drug and weapon offences, including trafficking, on Wednesday in Toowoomba Supreme Court after she was entangled in an undercover police bust.

Over roughly six months between 2022 and 2023, Murdoch supplied methylamphetamine to 12 individuals, one of which was an undercover police officer.

“The defendant was supplying on street level in relatively small quantities,” Crown prosecutor Abby Kong told the court.

“She did have the ability to supply greater quantities upon request but its not something she was doing as part of the business she was conducting.”

Murdoch supplied various quantities of drugs to the undercover officer, the largest being 2.54g of pure methylamphetamine.

She also facilitated the sale of a category C pump action shotgun for $5000 with offers to supply further weapons to the officer.

“The supply to the law enforcement officer was really good luck rather than good management that it made its way into the hands of a police officer and not someone else,” Ms Kong said.

Ms Kong acknowledged Murdoch experienced a “significantly disadvantaged background” which, she accepted, informed her history of offending and current offending.

“This wasn’t some commercial venture only on her behalf … it is clear it was street level trafficking to support her addiction,” she said.

Defence barrister Francis Martin said the circumstances of the offending “reeked of an addict who can’t help herself”.

“She never made very much money, and for a matter of fact most of it was to support her own habit,” he said.

“She had to borrow $20 off a supplier … which was not far before police executed the search warrant.”

Mr Martin said there was reason to believe Murdoch’s addiction and offending could be curved with adequate support from the justice system.

“There was a period there where she was able to stop (drug use),” he said.

“She does need help, the best thing for her is to get that help, that can only be done, in my submission, when she is in prison – enrolling in all the courses she can and getting the help she needs.

“The ball is in her court, she has the sword hanging over her head.”

Justice Thomas Bradley KC sentenced Murdoch to four years imprisonment with parole eligibility after twelve months.

“Your philosophy seems to be that you were trying to help everybody else, it is about time to sort some help for yourself,” he said.

Originally published as Chinchilla woman Robyn Murdoch, 39, pleads guilty to drug trafficking and illegal weapon supply