Toby Leslie Henderson pleads guilty to drug trafficking at Qld

A roadside car search by police on the Sunshine Coast uncovered a ‘street level’ drug trafficking operation by a previously jailed drug dealer, leading to his arrest after a failed attempt to flee.

Published Supreme Court remarks of the November 8 hearing revealed Toby Leslie Henderson’s operation, captured in detail in his mobile phone, was revealed when he was pulled over by police while driving at Caloundra in May, 2023. Picture: Istock

A 40-year-old convicted drug trafficker has returned to court after again being caught running a “street level” operation in which he dealt a range of narcotics to more than 30 customers.

Published Supreme Court remarks of the November 8 hearing revealed Toby Leslie Henderson’s operation was revealed when he was pulled over by police while driving at Caloundra in May, 2023.

Officers searched his car and found a Tommy Hilfiger bag containing a clip-seal bag containing .6g of a substance.

It was found that .45g of the substance was pure methylamphetamine.

Police also found another clip-seal bag with 1.9g of marijuana, a strip of 10 five-milligram diazepam tablets, a used glass pipe, and a metal spoon.

The court heard he told police he owned the bag, but denied having knowledge of what was inside it.

Police then found a backpack in a garden about two metres away from the car, which Henderson denied owning.

When police looked inside the bag Henderson tried to flee, getting only as far as the opposite side of the street.

Former cop pins CBD crime on Qld’s ‘failing’ legal system

‘Sharks, petrol burns’: Trio’s ‘terrifying’ 20hrs at sea after boat sinks

Published Supreme Court remarks of the November 8 hearing revealed Toby Leslie Henderson’s operation, captured in detail in his mobile phone, was revealed when he was pulled over by police while driving at Caloundra in May, 2023. Picture: Istock

The bag was found to contain a black zipper case which had inside two more clip-seal bags with 4g of a substance (which itself contained 3g of pure methylamphetamine), a plastic straw, gold electric scales, and numerous unused clip-seal bags.

Police seized the 39-year-old’s mobile phone, which revealed Henderson ran a street level drug dealing business from March 2023 to May 2023 supplying “predominantly methylamphetamine, cannabis and occasionally GHB”.

He made 69 deals over this period with 32 customers, the court heard.

Henderson was paid in cash and by bank transfer, and he would personally send follow-up messages asking for debts to be paid.

The exact amount of drugs sold, and profit made from the deals, could not be determined.

The court heard Henderson’s criminal history stretched back to 2002, when he was 18, and contained entries for drug, dishonesty, and property offences.

In August 2015 he was sentenced to three years’ jail at the Mackay Supreme Court for drug trafficking.

Henderson pleaded guilty at Brisbane’s Supreme Court to supplying dangerous drugs, trafficking dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs in excess of 2g, two counts of possessing dangerous drugs, and possessing anything for use in commission of a crime, possessing drug utensils, and obstructing police. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

Legislation at the time did not allow Henderson to be sentenced to parole supervision, and Henderson’s lawyers submitted it should be an option on the table this time.

Justice Frances Williams agreed, telling the court evidence showed Henderson had himself started using drugs at 17 and had escalated to meth when he was 28.

At the time of his offending he was using 1g of meth a day, the court heard.

Henderson pleaded guilty to supplying dangerous drugs, trafficking dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs in excess of 2g, two counts of possessing dangerous drugs, and possessing anything for use in commission of a crime, possessing drug utensils, and obstructing police.

He was sentenced to five years’ jail with immediate parole, owing to 542 days served in pre-sentence custody.

Originally published as Toby Leslie Henderson pleads guilty to drug trafficking at Qld