Dad jailed over Magnetic Island drug run

A Magnetic Island man caught ferrying drugs from the mainland has been jailed after pleading guilty to trafficking.

A MAGNETIC Island cook who was caught ferrying drugs from the mainland has been jailed after pleading guilty to trafficking marijuana.

Matthew Scott Diesing, 36, faced Townsville District Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to a string of nine drug offences.

The court was told the single father began selling drugs to make money after his financial struggles were exacerbated during the coronavirus pandemic.

Crown Prosecutor Scott Collins said phone messages and Diesing’s confessions showed he trafficked marijuana for about eight months during which it is estimated he sold just under a kilo of substance.

Mr Collins said police searched the man’s Amaroo Resort home in April last year where they found drug paraphernalia.

He was later intercepted at the ferry terminal in Townsville and was found carrying 95 grams of marijuana and more drug related items.

Diesing told police he intended to sell the drugs for an estimated $1200.

Police searched his home in June last year and again found drugs and related items.

Mr Collins said Diesing profited less than $5000 over the eight months.

Magnetic Island cook Matthew Scott Diesing was caught ferrying drugs from the mainland has been jailed after pleading guilty to trafficking marijuana.

“It was low level street dealing effectively,” he said.

“It was not an organised network and it is also important that it was not a great deal of money.”

Defence barrister Darin Honchin said Diesing was a long-term marijuana since his teens but dabbled with meth “on and off”.

Mr Honchin said his client had family support and the support of his employer on Magnetic Island.

Both lawyers said a punishment of two and a half years custody was appropriate, though Mr Honchin asked the court for immediate parole while Mr Collins asked the court to impose a short period behind bars.

Judge Gregory Lynham said while marijuana was perceived as a less serious drug, deterring people from committing similar crimes was important.

In sentencing he said he took into account Diesing’s co-operation with police, dated drug history and his personal circumstances.

He said the information the father provided to police doubled the length of time which officers were able to prove he was selling drugs.

As a result of this, Judge Lynham said he afforded Diesing a “greater discount” in setting his parole release date earlier than normal.

Diesing was sentenced to two and a half years jail and is required to serve four months behind bars before he is released on parole in February next year.

A serious drug offence certificate was issued.

Originally published as Dad jailed over Magnetic Island drug run