Phillip Frank Weaver guilty on meth supply and possession charges

An Innisfail pensioner described by a prosecutor as a “career criminal” with a litany of drug supply convictions ran from police throwing wads of cash and his phone away, a court has heard.

The Cairns courthouse. Picture: Brendan Radke

An Innisfail pensioner described by a prosecutor as a “career criminal” with a litany of drug supply convictions ran from police throwing wads of cash and his phone away, a court has heard.

Prosecutor Clayton Wallis told the court Phillip Frank Weaver, 45, was on parole for a short time when he was arrested after police went to a tavern following reports of a car being driven dangerously.

Weaver pleaded guilty in the Cairns Supreme Court to 15 drug-related charges including possessing a sawn off shotgun, and supplying and possessing methylamphetamine.

Mr Wallis said Weaver fled the tavern, leaving his car keys at the poker machine he was at, and threw wads of cash from his pockets as he ran.

“Police followed on foot and apprehended him, he dropped not only money, but his phone as well,” Mr Wallis said.

“He was asked what was in the vehicle and he admitted crack and maybe a gun – the vehicle was in a very poor state with property strewn throughout it, it looked like somewhere a person was living out of, it was unkempt – there were three amounts of meth in various locations, the drugs were possessed for commercial purpose but derivative use as well,” he said.

A sawn-off shotgun.

Police found 19.49g of pure meth in 22g substance, six bags with cannabis, MDA and MDMA tablets, ammunition, uncapped syringes and the sawn-off .22 shotgun in the boot.

“It was incapable of discharging the rounds, that is probably no comfort to someone presented with a firearm,” Mr Wallis said.

From April 20, 2023 to May 19, 2023, Weaver was charged with and pleaded guilty to 15 offences including with meth, MDMA and cannabis supply and possession, and possessing the firearm.

“He has come before the court regularly and has repeatedly squandered opportunities, he is a career criminal and will continue being a career criminal,” Mr Wallis said, adding that carrying a weapon was a common theme.

“It reveals a man with a disposition for weapons and a propensity for violence and that is a dangerous combination of features.”

Weaver was sentenced in 2020 to four years and further sentenced in 2021 and 2022 with the sentences melding into one another, Mr Wallis said.

Defence barrister Rachelle Logan said there had been a material change in disclosure of matters referred to in documents tendered to the court, and that her client had sought counselling.

The Cairns Court House building on Sheridan Street. Picture: Brendan Radke

“He is referred to as a career staminal who will continue to be so, in my submission that is not a fixed proposition … when he is not consuming meth he is a law-abiding citizen, when he returns to it, his life is chaos,” she said.

She said Weaver was on an opioid substitution program but it had not been available in Innisfail.

Chief Justice Helen Bowskill said: “You’ve had all the lectures from judges, you’re at a point in time where you’ve still got choices to make but that is a matter for you”.

“I can think of only one situation when I thought ‘there is no hope for somebody’ and you’re not that person, the material put before me suggests there is still hope,” she said.

Weaver is serving a previous sentence to August 9, 2025.

Ms Bowskill sentenced him to four years for aggravated possession, a year for weapons possession and a year for multiple charges of supplying drugs, to be served cumulatively, making a total of six years.

She recorded convictions with no further punishment for further charges, did not declare time in custody from May 19, 2023 as time served, and set a parole eligibility date of February 27, 2026.

Originally published as Phillip Frank Weaver guilty on meth supply and possession charges