Townsville dad Nathan James Quaid-Thomson jailed for possessing and trafficking meth

A Townsville dad busted with thousands in cash and drugs told police he’d done well on the pokies and decided to buy up – but his meth-dealing enterprise was destined to be exposed.

Quaid-Thomson was sentenced for possessing and trafficking meth in Townsville.

A Townsville dad busted with thousands in cash and drugs told police he’d done well on the pokies and decided to buy up – but his meth-dealing enterprise was destined to be exposed.

Thirty-six year old Nathan James Quaid-Thomson’s nefarious activities did not stop even after officers found multiple quantities of meth and cannabis, $63,000 in cash, a rifle, and ammunition in three searches of his property.

Townsville Supreme Court heard that when officers first found 11.597g meth and more than $6k in Quaid-Thomson’s bathroom, he claimed he’d been “doing well” on the pokies and had decided to buy a “fair amount” for his own use.

“The prosecution did not accept that,” Crown prosecutor Andrew Walklate said.

But it was what officers found in the third search of his home on November 21, 2019 that Chief Justice Bowskill described as “chilling”.

Officers found more than $62k in a safe in Quaid-Thomson’s garage.

A .22 rifle, ammunition, shotgun shells, 49.678g of pure meth and $62,870 cash were found.

Messages and a ticksheet linking Quaid-Thomson to a co-offender, Nadine Donna O’Sullivan, revealed sales to 43 customers with debts totalling $51,700.

O’Sullivan was heard to have been sentenced to three years for her offending.

Quaid-Thomson was taken into custody and was released on bail after 523 days, but just three months later he yet again came under the radar of police.

On November 10, 2021 police found Quaid-Thomson living at an address not approved under his bail, and in possession of a small amount of meth and cannabis, as well as a mobile phone also prohibited under his bail conditions.

And after refusing to provide the pin for the phone for police, Quaid-Thomson again landed himself in custody.

Officers found quantities of meth in searches of Quaid-Thomson’s property.

Quaid-Thomson pleaded guilty to more than 26 charges including trafficking in meth, contravention of an order about information stored electronically, possessing meth and cannabis, receiving or possessing property obtained from trafficking or supplying, authority required to possess explosives, and unlawful possession of weapons.

Barrister Dane Marley said his client, who only had one charge on his criminal history, had fallen into drug use after a break up.

Mr Marley said Quaid-Thomson had “significant family support” and had missed the birth of his third child while in custody.

Chief Justice Bowskill in sentencing said Quaid-Thomson still had hope to be a present father for his children.

“You have a chance to do that still, even though you’ve fallen off the rails in a pretty big way,” she said.

He was ordered to eight and a half years jail, with parole eligibility set immediately.

A total of 900 days presentence custody was declared as time served.

Originally published as Townsville dad Nathan James Quaid-Thomson jailed for possessing and trafficking meth