Jason Colin James Coome in Rockhampton court for meth trafficking

An out-of-work Qld miner with a heart condition, who struggled to get a job after fainting behind the wheel, turned to an illegal business.

A former miner turned to drug trafficking after struggling to get work.

A miner who once lost consciousness while behind the wheel of a truck due to a heart condition has been busted trafficking methamphetamines.

It was after this heart episode in 2015, when Jason Colin James Coome, 42, was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and fitted with a pacemaker that a “friend” introduced him to meth, Rockhampton Supreme Court recently heard.

He had struggled to gain employment after he was cleared to return to work in 2019.

Coome trafficked drugs between March 16, 2023 and April 28, 2023, with at least five customers, making $3020 and selling 6.2 grams of methamphetamine over 18 supplies.

Justice Graeme Crow said the largest supply Coome carried out was for one gram of meth.

“ (Coome) regularly followed up his drug debts,” he said.

Justice Crow said Coome refused to supply one person at least once, telling them “pay your f***ing bill and stop being a scum c***”.

Coome would line up his supply and then advertise his product.

But it was before his trafficking period that an undercover police officer rocked up to his doorstep, pretending to be a customer asking for “gear” (meth) to which Coome advised it was $70 for 0.1 gram, the court heard.

The undercover cop asked for 0.5g, and Coome said he could do five for $300.

He then provided the “customer” with his mobile phone number.

Police obtained a warrant for that phone number, which showed the trafficking offence.

He was in the pokies area of Bartlett’s Tavern when police arrived on April 22, 2023, and he started to move to avoid detection which made him look suspicious to police so they detained him, searched him and found him in possession of 3.122g pure meth in 4.1g of substance.

When police searched Coome’s Depot Hill residence on May 8, 2023, Coome wasn’t home.

They called him and he told them he was on a boat on the Fitzroy River and would be home in 30 minutes.

But no items of interest were found this time and Coome was bailed.

Coome was busted on July 10, possessing 30 millilitres of 3,4 Butanediol (used as a source of (GHB) gamma-hydroxybutyrate) and a week later, possessing 1.63g of pure meth in two clip-seal bags along with a used pipe.

He was also breaching his bail curfew condition.

He was then busted possessing 1.46 grams of meth leaving his house in the dark on a bicycle on October 4, 2023.

There was also a message on his phone revealing a supply of 0.5g of meth or $200.

The court heard Coome’s criminal history had one entry from 2021 in Maroochydore Magistrates Court, where he was fined for possessing drugs.

Justice Crow said material provided to the court showed Coome had a good work history until 2015, working in the rail industry for a year in Townsville, then undergoing a three-year butcher’s apprenticeship before working as a butcher for seven years then working at the mines.

He said Coome lost consciousness while driving a truck in 2015, ending his employment at the mines and was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy.

Coome now had a pacemaker and was medically cleared to work in 2019 but couldn’t find it.

“ (Coome claims he) was lost without work and a person, nominated as a friend but clearly not a friend, introduced him to methamphetamine,” Justice Crow said, noting Coome’s drug use escalated, “became more encompassing” and “it took over his life”.

Coome pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking meth, 19 of supplying drugs, one of possessing more than two grams of a schedule one drug, one of possessing more than schedule three of a schedule two drug, plus other minor drug related offences.

He was sentenced to three years’ prison with 284 days presentence custody declared as time already served and immediate release on parole.

Originally published as Jason Colin James Coome in Rockhampton court for meth trafficking