Amber Mary Leanne Urquhart Bunt: Pregnant mum busted smuggling drugs

A young expectant Brisbane mum who hid drugs on her body for another inmate was “leading a pretty chaotic lifestyle” before she was hit with several charges, a court has heard.

An expectant mum was “leading a pretty chaotic lifestyle” before she was hit with several charges including hiding drugs on her body for a prisoner, a court has heard.

Annerley woman Amber Mary Leanne Urquhart Bunt, 29, pleaded guilty to eight charges in the Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on Friday including possessing dangerous drugs, receiving tainted property and driving without a licence.

Urquhart Bunt, a mother of three, appeared via video link from prison.

The court heard on May 25 last year, Urquhart Bunt was driving on Gympie Rd at Lawnton while disqualified. The car was unregistered and uninsured.

The court was told the number plates on that vehicle did not match the car Urquhart Bunt was driving.

The court heard on June 29 of this year, Urquhart Bunt was in a watch-house after being arrested for another matter and was asked to secrete a drug on her body by another prisoner.

Amber Mary Leanne Urquhart Bunt.

Police prosecutor Sgt Dani Hulin told the court Urquhart Bunt had multiple entries on her history for drug offences.

Urquhart Bunt's lawyer, Ms Chen, told the court her client was in custody for other drug-related charges.

“She has three children … she is currently pregnant, she got pregnant before her incarceration,” she said.

“She has a good relationship with her mother and her son. Even when she is in custody they still talk on the phone regularly.

“She hasn’t really mentioned to her son that she is in prison.

“However she has been giving her son some positive affirmations, saying that ‘mummy is trying to get herself better’ and that is exactly what she has been trying to do.

“Her mother … has expressed, although she is really disappointed in how she has been behaving, she remains supportive nonetheless.”

The court heard Urquhart Bunt did not want to “lead this lifestyle’’ and had expressed remorse.

“It’s unfortunate it takes her being in custody for her to realise that she still has a great support network around her,” Ms Chen said.

“She has been leading a pretty chaotic lifestyle, she would constantly find herself among people who are a really bad influence.

“She offers no valid explanation for her behaviour driving that day.

“She admits that she was acting really recklessly.”

Magistrate Melanie Ho said the 29-year-old’s traffic offences were concerning.

“Within seven days (of a previous appearance) she was driving with false plates,” she said.

“There was a blatant disregard of the court order, there was no logical reason.”

Ms Ho said she took into account Urquhart Bunt’s plea of guilty for the offending which took place over a period of 12 months.

“The drugs (charge) is unusual,” she said.

“You were in the watchhouse and foolishly, you were asked by another prisoner to secrete on your body, which was corroborated by CCTV. And a strip search located it.”

Urquhart Bunt was disqualified from driving for two years.

She was also fined $1000 and a conviction was recorded.