The Redlands battle with drugs: suburbs with where people face the most drug charges
New data uncovers which Redlands suburbs suffer the greatest number of drug related offences over the last year. Find out which suburbs were hardest hit and the people behind the crimes.
Redlands Coast
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Drug charges in the Redlands have been on the decline since May, when numbers peaked at a whopping 181 drug charges recorded post-coronavirus lockdown.
Despite the drop, drugs remain one of the region’s biggest problems, with drug charges coming as the second most common reported offence over the last 12 months.
New data from the Queensland Police Service Crime Map reveals which Redlands suburbs have been hardest hit by drugs over the last year, in the time period between September 23 2019 and 2020.
DIAL A DEALER: QLD DRUG HOT SPOTS REVEALED
DRUG STATISTICS
The suburb of Capalaba, ranked as one of the most family-friendly in Brisbane according to the Homely app, suffered the greatest number of drug charges in the region with a total of 240, while Alexandra Hills came in a close second at 229 charges.
Cleveland, Redland Bay and Birkdale rounded out the top five worst affected suburbs.
Not all those who have been charged with drug offences will be found guilty.
FACES OF THE REDLANDS’ DRUG CHARGES
Major marijuana dealer on Russell Island Dale Grant Wilmott was placed on three years’ probation after pleading guilty to supplying drugs.
However, he denied through his lawyer that his actions impacted on his three young children, aged nine, 12 and 14.
Cleveland Magistrates Court heard the self-employed carpenter, 42, was charged after police raided his property on November 8 last year and discovered about 130g of marijuana, a bong, a bowl with residue, and $1600 stashed under a bible in Wilmott’s bedroom.
Police also searched Wilmott’s mobile phone, which revealed a series of incriminating messages.
Magistrate Deborah Vasta said Russell Island had increasingly become a hotspot for drug activity in the region and locals are “fed up”.
Convictions were recorded.
A man with a self-admitted severe Ice addiction was lucky not to spend the rest of his life in jail for murder after he stabbed a man twice in the back with a fishing knife.
Appearing at the Cleveland Magistrates court on August 21, 2020, Trent James Edmund Jamieson, 33, pleaded guilty to unlawful assault occasioning bodily harm and a string of drug offences.
The court heard Jamieson had got into a fight with his new girlfriend’s ex-partner when he accompanied her to collect some of her belongings at an Alexandra Hills property on August 15.
The court was further told Jamieson had admitted to a severe drug addiction when questioned by police and had variously been found by officers with unsecured syringes and in his vehicle in addition to glass pipes, bongs and Ice at multiple locations across the Redlands between February 22 and July 14.
Jacob Anthony Keneally, 31, pleaded guilty to breaking and entering and unlawful use of a vehicle when he appeared via video link at the Cleveland Magistrates Court on June 3, 2020.
No bail as police allegedly find 50 grams heroin and thousands cash in Victoria Point
The court heard Wynnum local Keneally had stolen a Mitsubishi Lancer from an Alexandra Hills dwelling at around 6am on February 28, while the residents were home, and caused over $4,000 in damages.
“I for one am absolutely sick to death of people just breaking into houses and stealing cars,” Magistrate Deborah Vasta said.
“This type of offence has really crept into our society in the last 10 years.
“And it is not explained by drugs it is explained by a complete disregard for others’ property and rights.”
Police arrested Keneally after he walked fully clothed into a pool at a random residence.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Duncan Blackburn said the offending had occurred while the defendant had been on parole for another vehicle theft and said the man’s behaviour seemed to be driven by drugs based on a “smattering” of drug offences on his record.
Defence solicitor Bruce Johnston said the offending could be put down to “the scourge of Ice”.
“It is just one of those situations where prison will be a revolving door if he doesn’t get his act together,” Mr Johnston said.
The court heard Keneally, who has worked as a labourer, had left school at Grade 10, had an eight-page criminal history and had been an addict since he was 22.
Keneally was convicted and sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment with a parole eligibility date of July 1.
Bon-Reece Levi Edwards, 29, pleaded guilty to a string of charges when he appeared at Cleveland Magistrates Court on April 20, 2020, including carrying an exposed weapon in a public place, unlawful use of a vehicle, possession of a knife in a public place, possession of drugs, multiple stealing offences and possession of explosives, among others.
The court heard Edwards went on a drug-fuelled crime spree across Capalaba and Alexandra Hills between November 3, 2019 and January 23 this year in a stolen car with fake number plates all the while brandishing a replica fire arm and knife.
The father of two tested positive to driving under the influence of Ice, cannabis and ecstasy and committed multiple fuel drive offs from local service stations.
On January 23 Edwards was apprehended with a knife, a replica fire arm and three drug pipes while driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle on Greencamp Rd in Wakerley.
Edwards, who had been in custody for 86 days was sentenced to 12 months’ prison with immediate release on nine months’ parole and disqualified from driving for six months.