Jared Carrara: Ingham tradie caught with dangerous drug meth

A North Queensland tradie was busted in possession of a large amount of high-quality meth, a court was told.

Jared Dylan Carrara, 29, pleaded guilty in the Ingham Magistrates Court on Thursday to driving on a licence disqualified by a court order, a repeat offence, as well as possession of a pipe used to smoke the dangerous drug methylamphetamine, known by the street name ice, late last year.

A North Queensland tradie and former business owner busted in possession of a large amount of high-quality meth was caught drug driving the previous day, a court was told.

Jared Dylan Carrara, 30, pleaded guilty in the Ingham Magistrates Court to possessing more than 10 grams of methylamphetamine, known by the street name ‘ice’, as well as counts each of possessing drug utensils to consume the highly addictive and destructive drug and clip-seal bags used in the commission of a crime.

In addition to the offences in Ingham on May 26, the former owner of a Hinchinbrook plumbing and roofing business pleaded guilty to driving with meth in his system while on a probationary licence in Herbert St, the Bruce Highway, on May 25.

Queensland Police Prosecutor Samuel Stewart said Ingham police executed a search warrant at Carrara’s home in Cassady St, finding a total of 10.183 grams of ice in a number of clip-sealed bags in different location in or under the house and seven used glass pipes.

He said the “significant amount” of meth had a pure weight of 7.6 grams.

“When questioned he said he didn’t know anything about them; the defendant then requested to speak to a solicitor.”

Jared Dylan Carrara, 29, pleaded guilty in the Ingham Magistrates Court on Thursday to driving on a licence disqualified by a court order, a repeat offence, as well as possession of a pipe used to smoke the dangerous drug methylamphetamine, known by the street name ice, late last year.

Mr Stewart said Carrara had been busted drug driving the previous day.

He urged a term of imprisonment ranging from 15 to 18 months with immediate parole to allow for close supervision while in the community.

Defence lawyer Joseph Byrne said his client was a qualified glazier and plumber who continued to struggle with a “serious drug habit”.

“He bought large amounts and divided it into smaller amounts as a misguided means of self-restraint.”

He said Carrara started using meth following the loss of a job and the birth of his child as a way to cope with the stress.

“He has abstained from meth for significant periods in his life but relapsed when the relationship with the mother of his child broke down,” Mr Byrne said.

The Ingham Courthouse. Picture: Cameron Bates

Magistrate Cathy McLennan said the “large amount” of pure meth constituted more than 100 hits but conceded the prosecution was not alleging he was a drug dealer.

On the drug-drive charge, Carrara was convicted, fined $500 and banned from driving for four months.

On the Drug Misuse Act charges, the defendant was jailed for a head sentence of 15 months with immediate parole.

Magistrate McLennan ordered Carrara to report to Community Corrections by the next day.

“It’s parole, not probation, so basically you are in jail for the next 15 months (but) you get to serve it in the community only if you follow the rules of your parole,” she said.

“Something like 70 per cent of people on parole breach their parole and get their parole suspended so I don’t sentence someone to imprisonment lightly and I don’t give immediate parole lightly … think of it as being in jail but you can be in jail in the community as long as you follow the rules.”

She said those rules included complying with drug testing when directed.

Originally published as Jared Carrara: Ingham tradie caught with dangerous drug meth