Norlane woman found with cannabis, methamphetamine just months after release from custody

Fresh out of jail, a Norlane woman returned to buying and distributing large quantities of drugs to her friends, a court has heard.

A Norlane woman found with methamphetamine in syringes told police she was not trafficking when she bought and distributed drugs to her friends.

Donna Russell, 46, appeared before the Geelong Magistrates Court from a remand centre and pleaded guilty to drug possession and trafficking charges.

The court heard that on April 5 this year, police executed a search warrant at a Norlane property where Russell was residing and found her in the garage at the rear of the house. It had been converted into her living space.

In addition to a mobile phone and $2970 in cash, police located six ziplock bags of cannabis and several plastic containers holding cannabis.

Police also found methamphetamine stashed in plastic bags and a further 15 syringes full of methamphetamine. It all weighed approximately eight grams.

When she was arrested and conveyed to the police station for interview, Russell told them that the drugs were for “personal consumption”.

Pressed on the amount, Russell claimed that her friends had “put in money for bulk amounts” that she then purchased and divided among them.

When questioned about the amount of cash found at her property, Russell said she saved the money up and she “doesn’t believe in banks”.

The court heard that Russell has appeared before the court on similar charges earlier this year and, at that time, spent 30 days behind bars.

While she was in custody, her defence lawyer claimed that her partner had moved on with another relationship and had failed to pay the bills for the house that they shared, leaving Russell evicted and unable to go home.

When she did leave custody, Russell was forced to stay in a shed attached to a friend’s house where she spent time using drugs and “knowing that she was experiencing quite a bit of anxiety but unsure how to address it”.

Her defence lawyer said that Russell, who has now been in custody for 52 days, has engaged a housing worker to support her release.

The lawyer requested the court consider the 52 days she has spent in custody already and requested that she be placed on a community corrections order.

Magistrate Anne McGarvie has requested Russell be assessed for the order and she will return to the Magistrates Court next week for sentencing.

Originally published as Norlane woman found with cannabis, methamphetamine just months after release from custody