Birkdale man charged with drug trafficking faces up to eight years in jail if convicted

A defendant living at a house visited by police nearly two dozen times claimed he was only there to satisfy domestic duties.

The long-time partner and co-accused of a woman alleged to have turned over $45,000 in drug proceeds in one month at a house visited by police 23 times, has told a court he was merely there for “dinner, cleaning, (and) basic household duties”.

Appearing from remand via video link at Cleveland Magistrates Court on December 15, Joshua Laman Braid, 32, had his bail firmly denied.

Charged with a host of offences including one count of supply dangerous drugs; two counts of enter premises; one count of receiving tainted property and two counts of fraud, the court heard his matters would move to a higher court.

Also charged with five counts of trafficking in dangerous drugs alleged to have occurred between September 1, 2019 – July 7 this year, the court heard the “strong case” against him may lead to an eight-year jail sentence if he’s found guilty.

The court heard there was a “voluminous” brief of facts containing 1,000 pages in transcribed text messages from three phones and a 24-page and 36-page statement from a single arresting officer.

Joshua Braid had his bail denied at Cleveland Magistrates Court. Picture: Facebook

A police prosecutor informed the court Braid’s Birkdale residence had been the subject of 23 police visitations where 15 people were found during a single raid.

“He finds the sales for her, he arranges the supplies for her, he collects the drugs for her and he also collects the debts owed to her in the supply of drugs,” a police prosecutor alleged.

“He is quite heavily and intricately involved as a primary offender”.

However, defence solicitor Omarjee Naadira said her client was at best tangentially involved with the alleged offending.

“The highest (level of criminality) at this point that can be alleged is that he is party to a trafficking where he would be receiving drugs in return for his assistance in the trafficking in dangerous drugs,” Ms Naadira said.

Speaking against the advice of Magistrate Deborah Vasta Braid claimed wholesale innocence to his partner of eight year’s alleged offending.

The court heard Braid’s partner faced similar charges to those of his own, including multiple counts of trafficking in dangerous drugs.

“The only thing I gave her a hand with was with dinner, cleaning, (and) basic household duties,” the defendant said.

With the court informed Braid had failed to report to a June court date, his bid for release on bail was quashed.

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“It is very nice of you to stay there but this person that you are apparently helping out is allegedly making $45,000 a month,” Magistrate Vasta said.

“And that is happening right underneath your nose and you are either too stupid or too involved to notice and when the police raid that place people are running around hiding things.

“Drugs are allegedly found, there is absolutely no doubt about that, and there are 15 people there including juveniles”.