Meth dealer back in business weeks after his release

THE judge spared this career criminal the now-familiar lecture and sent him straight back to jail

GEOFFREY Russell Francis had been paroled from prison for a little over two weeks before he returned to his now familiar profession of trafficking methamphetamine.

The Toowoomba Supreme Court heard yesterday that Francis sold the dangerous drug to 36 customers, from July 25 to August 15, 2019.

Crown prosecutor Shontelle Petrie said it was a wholesale business.

"He supplied in the range of 1.75 grams to, at times, a full ounce," she said.

"He received cash as well as other items, such as jewellery."

The court heard police searched the 37-year-old's Gatton home on August 14, 2019 and recovered 11.278 grams of pure methamphetamine, a taser, a pen gun, ammunition, drug utensils, digital scales and $730 in cash.

The arrest cancelled Francis' parole and he was returned to jail to serve the rest of an 18 month jail sentence, issued by Ipswich District Court.

By way of a defence, barrister Frank Martin noted his client's rough upbringing, which included his father dying while serving life in jail for murder.

In sentencing, Judge Martin Burns considered the defendant's early guilty plea and his criminal history that dated back to his youth and spanned three states.

He also noted that Francis had spent only 10 weeks outside a jail cell in the past two and half years.

Judge Burns sentenced Francis to five years in jail after he pleaded guilty to one count of drug trafficking, four lesser drugs charges and three weapons charges.

That sentence will start when Francis finishes his current 18 month sentence, on August 8, 2020.

His parole eligibility date was set at August 8, 2021.