Neville Wanstall pleads guilty at Gympie, Qld, to burglary, drug dealing

A trawlerman, labourer and drug dealer has faced court after burgling two people’s homes and making off with items ranging from Apple watches to rolls of carpet.

Neville Wanstall, a 38-year-old trawlerman and labourer, has pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and 21 counts of supplying or trying to supply drugs.

A 38-year-old trawlerman and labourer who ran a low-level drug dealing operation and burgled two people’s homes, making off with items including rolls of carpet, will now remain behind bars until Christmas.

The court heard on January 17, 2023, Neville Wanstall broke into a Victory Heights home through a side door on its veranda.

Wanstall then went through the homeowners’ clothes and stole more than $1000 in goods including two new Apple watches, and jewellery.

He was identified by authorities when he tried to pawn the jewellery two weeks later.

About two months later, on an unknown date between late March and mid-April, 2023, he broke into a second Victory Heights home through a window while its owner was away at work.

On this occasion he stole food and clothes, a new television, a welder, leaf blower, and rolls of carpet.

Neville Wanstall, a 38-year-old trawlerman and labourer, has pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and 21 counts of supplying or trying to supply drugs.

A neighbour of the property saw him walking around the house previously “looking suspicious”, the court heard.

Wanstall then lied to police in an interview about the first break-in and refused to speak with them about the second, the court heard.

The drug dealing was uncovered following a police search of Wanstall’s own Victory Heights home on an unrelated matter, on the same date as his first break-in.

His mobile phone was seized by officers, and the deals were subsequently uncovered.

Crown prosecutor Elle Bolam told the court the charges included five actual deals of meth, 13 offers to deal the drug, and three more offers to deal an unknown drug.

Driver rescued by homeowner after fiery head-on collision

Incredible photos show dingoes feasting on stranded whale calves

Gympie District Court generic.

The largest deal to be finalised was 0.6g, while the offers included proposals to deal up to 1.7g of the drug.

In total there 21 deals dating between May 2020 and January 2023.

The 38-year-old’s defence lawyer said Wanstall’s dealing had been only to other drug users he knew.

There was no suggestion he was “stockpiling” the drugs as part of a larger commercial dealing enterprise.

The court heard Wanstall grew up in a home afflicted with domestic violence and his father was a drug addict.

He “spiralled” in 2021 after two friends died, one by suicide and one in a car crash.

Wanstall pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary, and 21 counts of supplying or trying to supply dangerous drugs.

He was sentenced to two years jail with a parole release date of December 9, 2024.

Originally published as Neville Wanstall pleads guilty at Gympie, Qld, to burglary, drug dealing