31-year-old Manunda woman 12th person charged as part of Operation Uniform Kalahari

A second woman has been charged with the alleged grooming and drugging of children as part of an ongoing Cairns police sting.

A second woman has been charged with the alleged grooming and drugging of children as part of an ongoing Cairns police sting.

To date 12 people – 10 men and two women – have been charged with 263 offences by Cairns Child Protection and Investigation Unit detectives running Operation Uniform Kalahari, with 52 alleged child victims bravely coming forward to police.

On Thursday, June 22, a 31-year-old Manunda woman was charged with five counts of supplying dangerous drugs to a minor and one count each of wounding and possessing utensils.

Police bail was refused, and she is scheduled to reappear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on August 8.

Police allege the youths were groomed, indecently assaulted, and supplied with dangerous drugs including methylamphetamine and cannabis.

A woman has been arrested as part of an ongoing child protection sting.

Police and other support services are committed to providing assistance to young people involved and their families.

The latest arrest comes off the back of the first Supreme Court sentencing for a person charged as a result of the operation.

Brian Peter Hepburn, 73, pleaded guilty to counts of unlawful wounding, four counts of supplying a dangerous drug to a child under 16 and indecent treatment of a child under 16 on June 21.

The court heard he injected a 16-year-old girl with methylamphetamine and made sexual advances towards her.

The court heard the 16-year-old girl was a “transient” who stayed at a unit complex with another man.

Prosecutor Christian Peters told the court the unlawful wounding related to Hepburn injecting the girl and the supply dangerous drug charges related to him pushing the syringe down.

The indecent treatment charge arose from his behaviour after injecting her where he grabbed her hips and made sexual advances toward her, which she rejected.

Brian Peter Hepburn was sentenced in the Cairns Supreme Court on Jun 21. Picture: Facebook

He also got her to inject him, saying afterwards “I wouldn’t mind you”.

“I understand she was part of police operation which was investigating more broadly the supply of dangerous drugs to youths in Cairns area and particularly at that unit complex,” Mr Peters said.

Defence barrister Rachelle Logan said Hepburn’s health had suffered in jail and his hearing aids had been stolen.

She said he started using ice after the death of his wife and the death of his son, and had overcome lung cancer and heart issues.

Justice James Henry handed down a three year head sentence with parole eligibility from June 21, but noted Hepburn was on remand for other matters.

Police urged anyone with information that could assist Operation Uniform Kalahari or who believed they or someone they know may have been impacted to come forward as investigations are ongoing.

Originally published as 31-year-old Manunda woman 12th person charged as part of Operation Uniform Kalahari