Capalaba man employs ‘sinister’ ‘standover’ tactics to recuperate funds for 2 grand drug debt

A once sought after mine worker has stooped to “standover” tactics to function in the “seedy underbelly” of the drug world.

A 42-year-old man whose life spiralled out of control when his partner left him has been denounced at a court for stooping to “very distasteful, very sinister” standover-like tactics for stealing an acquaintance’s car to square a drug debt.

Once a leading jumbo operator on the mines in Western Australia, Capalaba man Craig Adam Balmer pleaded guilty to a string of drug charges, four counts of driving while disqualified by a court and one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, among others when he appeared at Cleveland Magistrates Court on Friday.

Having spent 174 days in custody since his arrest in June last year, the court heard his drug-fuelled offending ran rampant over several months.

The court heard Balmer drove while disqualified by a court on the Pacific Highway at Springwood on February 12, again on April 27 on Wynnum Road at Morningside and twice on May 14.

On April 14 the father of two was found in possession of a drug pipe and Valium, and on May 21 he was found with methamphetamine.

Described at court as having “a very serious history” of drug offending he was also found in possession of ice, scales for measuring drugs, a syringe and cannabis on May 14.

A Capalaba father-of-two stole a car to recuperate a $2,000 drug debt. Generic image used. Picture: Supplied

But it was his theft of a vehicle from an associate who owed him $2,000 for drugs that drew most ire from Magistrate Deborah Vasta.

The offending, Magistrate Vasta said, smacked of a “sinister” and “very distasteful aspect”.

“To just go around and take someone’s car for a $2,000 drug debt has a real standover aspect to it,” she said.

Previously sentenced to prison but granted immediate parole for similar offending, a police prosecutor recommended an 18-month prison sentence of which Balmer would have to serve six months.

“There needs to be a very serious message sent not just to this defendant but the community that disregarding court orders will not be tolerated,” the police prosecutor said.

Defence solicitor Bruce Johnstone said his client’s life imploded when he returned from a bout on the mines to find his then partner had left and taken his children, to whom he was still estranged.

Acknowledging his client’s “appalling prior convictions” Mr Johnstone said Balmer had driven to his grandmother’s funeral in one instance and for safety reasons to accommodate a friend’s (and driver’s) migraine in another when he breached court orders.

The court was told Balmer had stopped taking drugs two weeks prior to being remanded and “understood the gravity” of his offending.

Magistrate Vasta urged the man to reconnect with his children and avoid “slimy, sleazy” friends dwelling in the “seedy underbelly” of the drug world.

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Balmer was sentenced to six months jail, wholly suspended over two years with three years probation.

He was further disqualified from driving for eight years – two years each for driving while court disqualified – and placed on a 10pm – 5am home curfew.

Placed on a non-contact order with multiple people Balmer was also fitted with a tracking device.