Gold Coast property investor sentenced over ice, weapon possession

A property investor was caught with more than 40g of ice, other drugs and a stun gun disguised as a torch.

A Gold Coast property investor caught with more than 40g of ice, other drugs and a stun gun disguised as a torch has walked from court.

Sharn Patrick Quarterman, 34, faced Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to six counts of possessing dangerous drugs, possessing a category R weapon and other summary offences.

The court heard Queensland Police found the stun gun and methylamphetamine alongside smaller amounts of marijuana, GBL, cocaine and $2590 cash when they executed search warrants at two of Quarterman’s Broadbeach properties in November 2019.

Quarterman, who was on a good behaviour bond for other drug offences at the time, was granted bail but was charged with more offences two weeks later when police returned to his house and found 2g of ice and glass pipes.

Sharn Quarterman leaves Brisbane Supreme Court. Picture: Richard Walker

His barrister Bernard Reilly told the court Quarterman, who was born in New Zealand, was in the grips of a serious addiction at the time and was using up to 7g of ice a week.

The court heard that in 2018 Quarterman found himself with “money and time on his hands” after he stopped his employment as a fly-in fly-out worker on desalination plants and relied solely on income from various properties he had purchased.

“The fact that he had money, meant he was able to feed his dependency whilst essentially keeping it hidden from family and the authorities,” Mr Reilly said.

Mr Reilly said Quarterman had taken significant steps towards rehabilitation and a psychologist had found him both “genuinely motivated” to live positively and deeply embarrassed by his offending.

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Justice Soraya Ryan said drugs caused a “procession of misery” through the courts.

But she said Quarterman had enough support between his family, a psychologist and drug treatment program to be released on parole.

“In my view though, the community is best served by allowing your rehabilitation progress to continue,” Justice Ryan said.

“There’s evidence before me that you’ve been drug free since at least July 2020.”

Quarterman was sentenced to three years’ jail but given immediate parole.

Originally published as Gold Coast property investor sentenced over ice, weapon possession