Louise Adela Laws appears in Warwick District Court following breach of drug trafficking sentence

A 23-year-old drug trafficker has been returned to court following a routine roadside test revealed she had breached a previous suspended sentence. Here’s what happened.

A 23-year-old Warwick drug trafficker has landed back in court following a breach of her suspended sentence.

Louise Adela Laws faced Warwick District Court on Monday following a 2020 roadside traffic stop that revealed a breach of an earlier suspended sentence.

Laws pleaded guilty to breaching her suspended sentence imposed in November 2020 by committing a further offence during the suspension period.

On November 27, 2020, Laws was sentenced to two years imprisonment, wholly suspended, for drug trafficking.

Crown prosecutor Jennifer O’Brien told the court during a period when the woman was 19 and 20, Laws trafficked cannabis for about 10 months to 28 customers with 103 supplies.

“Following a search, police located 100 grams of cannabis, seeds and $600 in cash,” Ms O’Brien said.

On 26 June 2022, Laws was subject to a breath and saliva test, which revealed positive for traces of cannabis, ultimately breaching her suspended sentence by committing an offence during the period.

When the breaching matter was heard in front of a magistrate last year, Laws was fined $300 and suspended from driving for one month.

“The breach is not as serious as the original (offence) but it cannot be said to be trivial, the concerning feature is that there is an issue with the drugs and she was driving with them,” Ms O’Brien said.

Defence lawyer Nathan Boyd told the court since the initial sentence in 2020, Laws had been “productive and employed”, had been trying to “undertake positive steps” and had provided eight clean drug tests.

“She’s taking this seriously and taking positive steps, and knows what sort of behaviour will place her at risk and is taking steps to mitigate those risks,” Mr Boyd said.

Judge Nathan Jarro told Laws she should have known the consequences of her actions and labelled her breach “concerning”.

“When you were dealt with back in 2020, (the judge) gave you the benefit but made it clear that if you deviate from your current path, you will send yourself to jail,” Judge Jarro said.

“I hope you understand the consequences of your offending, it is concerning that you are still involved with cannabis, the ball is entirely in your court.

“You need to start maturing, otherwise if you keep offending and involving yourself with drugs, there will be less leniency and sympathy if you come before the courts again.”

Laws suspended sentence was extended for a further six months, until November 2024.

Originally published as Louise Adela Laws appears in Warwick District Court following breach of drug trafficking sentence