Bryce Sparrow blames hearing loss for starting Townsville drug trafficking enterprise

A teenager who was nabbed for trafficking drugs claims he turned to dealing after he was bullied as a child for his hearing loss.

A TEENAGER who was nabbed for trafficking drugs claims he turned to dealing after he was bullied as a child for his hearing loss.

Bryce Sparrow, 20, supplied cannabis and Xanax to 18 customers from May 15, 2019 to September 16, 2019.

The Townsville District Court heard Sparrow supplied drugs on 27 occasions including 22 Xanax tablets totalling $314 and 130g of cannabis totalling $1610.

Sparrow was arrested by police on September 15, 2019 after a police raid at his Townsville house.

The court heard Sparrow’s roommate had also been charged for his involvement in the drug trafficking and was sentenced to two and a half years’ jail.

Crown prosecutor Amanda Payne said Sparrow used social media to sell his drugs.

“There are a number of photographs which are Snapchat photographs and they show his method of advertising of the drugs he had for sale,” she said.

Ms Payne said the enterprise was conducted by Sparrow for a profit although the exact amount of money he would have made was unknown.

Bryce Sparrow was sentenced to 2.5 years' jail for drug trafficking.

Sparrow pleaded guilty to 18 charges including trafficking in dangerous drugs and seven counts of supply dangerous drugs.

He sat in the dock listening to his sentencing with the aid of a court provided hearing assistance device.

Defence barrister Harvey Walters said Sparrow had been diagnosed with hearing loss in both ears from a young age.

“He has suffered from anxiety and depression from his difficulties in growing up part of that seems to be his background as a child and also the bullying he experienced,” he said.

“His problem is his inability to deal with how he was treated by his peers during his school years.”

Judge Michael Rackerman told Sparrow although he also suffered from hearing loss, “I don’t go around selling drugs”.

“Drugs are a serious problem in society and a source of misery for those who take them and leads to social problems that society in general must bear,” he said.

“To add to that problem by supplying others and carrying on a business of trafficking such drugs is of course very concerning.”

Sparrow was sentenced to two and a half years’ jail with immediate parole.

Originally published as Bryce Sparrow blames hearing loss for starting Townsville drug trafficking enterprise