Jacqueline O’Brien: Enmore gran ‘a bit old’ for importing drugs

An inner west granny caught ordering party drugs through the post has been told she is “a bit old” to be getting involved with illicit substances.

A drug importing granny who was caught ordering party drugs through the post has been told she is “a bit old” to be getting involved with illicit substances.

Enmore woman Jacqueline Frances O’Brien, 54, is facing up to 25 years in jail if convicted of importing GBL, also known as ecstasy, last year.

O’Brien spent 38 days in jail on remand after her arrest last September as part of a cross-agency operation that identified the drugs before they arrived at the Newtown address they were bound for.

She sat quietly with her head down in a virtual hearing of the District Court on Friday as Crown prosecutor Mara Lejins argued O’Brien was running a drug dealing racket and intended to sell the drugs to a vast array of contacts.

Jacqueline Frances O'Brien leaving court. Picture: Adam Yip

“There is the sale of GBL and GHB, organising a cab driver to deliver GBL, receiving messages from contacts asking her to sell GBL, receiving orders for GBL,” Ms Lejins said.

“Her intention was to sell it to her associates.

“She is not a mule or courier acting under direction but importing it for her own financial benefit.”

The court was told that GBL “was her favourite substance” and that O’Brien checked in on the status of the package five times.

Her partner’s affair with a long time friend, the court heard, was a “driving force” behind her actions and a sentencing report has identified her as a “medium to high” risk of committing more crimes after her case is finalised.

O’Brien denied the drugs would have been sold by her. Picture: Adam Yip

Her barrister Joseph Klarica rejected that the inner west grandmother was going to sell the drugs when they arrived and that: “even if her card was used to purchase it, it’s not known who used it”.

O’Brien was charged with importing a marketable quantity of GBL last September and pleaded guilty earlier this year.

“Is she not a bit old for this kind of activity?” Judge Phillip Mahony said.

O’Brien is currently a close contact of two Covid cases and is reportedly suffering with some symptoms, the court heard.

Judge Mahony adjourned her case to later this month for sentencing.