Caytlin Louise Kennedy pleads guilty to meth trafficking, possession

A Qld meth trafficker sold to 27 people over 15 months while running a ‘busy’ enterprise that turned over hundreds of thousands of dollars. But she won’t spend another day in jail.

Caytlin Louise Kennedy sold ice to at least 27 people over about 15 months between August 2021 and November 2022 in the Mackay region.

A Mackay meth trafficker has avoided going back to jail for her efforts in running a “busy” street level enterprise that turned over hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Caytlin Louise Kennedy sold ice to at least 27 people over about 15 months between August 2021 and November 2022 in the Mackay region.

Mackay Supreme Court heard the then 33-34 year old mostly sold in street level quantities, but did indicate she had attempted to sell or discussed selling larger amounts, such as up to an ounce.

“You were owed tens of thousands of dollars in drug debts … (and) demanded payment of debts from your customers,” Justice David North said.

The court heard a huge sum of money totalling about $242,523 was paid into a bank account under your control, which Justice North said indicated “the level of the turnover of your business”.

“You were a busy street level trafficker,” he said, adding she was also found possessing a large amount of meth.

She sourced wholesale amount to sell in smaller quantities, but also discussed the purchase of larger amounts for the buyer to then on sell.

Kennedy, 35, pleaded guilty to trafficking meth, aggravated meth possession, possessing smaller amounts of cannabis, testosterone and oxycodone for personal use and refusing to give police access to her phone.

The court heard this was the latest in a 12-page criminal history boasting a “litany of offending”.

The 35 year old pleaded guilty to trafficking meth, aggravated meth possession, possessing smaller amounts of cannabis, testosterone and oxycodone for person use and refusing to give police access to her phone.

Justice North said meth trafficking was serious offending, so much so the maximum penalty had been pushed up to life behind bars.

“It must be denounced … aspects of general and particular deterrence apply (to) somebody such as you with an ingrained and substantial history of drug offending and drug use.

“Methylamphetamine is associated with a lot of the crime in our community, as you well know addicts will go to great lengths to get their hands on the drug or money to buy the drug.”

He said it was also linked to domestic violence.

“That’s why a stern response by way of denunciation is called for in sentencing,” Justice North said.

However Justice North recognised the steps Kennedy had taken since towards her rehabilitation including consulting organisations that could help and seeking out employment.

The court heard she had also taken steps to disassociate herself from drug use and drug culture, as well as providing a number of clean drug tests.

Justice North also noted her co-operation, plea and the fact she had already spent 381 days in custody on remand.

In balancing the serious drug offending against the mitigating feature, Justice North failed Kennedy for three years immediately suspended for 3.5 years and the 381 days in custody declared time already served.

She will also have to complete two years probation and convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Caytlin Louise Kennedy pleads guilty to meth trafficking, possession