Andrijana York pleads guilty in Toowoomba Supreme Court to meth possession

Police uncovered more than $40,000 in cash and a ‘commercial quantity’ of meth inside a baby formula tin during a search of a Toowoomba mother’s car.

Picture: File

A Toowoomba mum caught with a “commercial quantity” of meth in her car has told a court she struggled to stand up to her partner and co-accused.

Driving through Harlaxton on a December day, Toowoomba mum Andrijana York was found with more than $40,000 in cash and a baby formula tin filled with bags of ice, a court has been told.

The 42-year-old appeared before Toowoomba Supreme Court on Wednesday, pleading guilty to possessing dangerous drugs in excess of 2g and possessing property suspected of being the proceeds of a drug offence.

Crown prosecutor Emily Coley told the court York was pulled over by police after she and her then partner and co-accused Peter Naumoski were seen leaving an address of interest.

Police noticed York’s partner acting erratically and identified the couple was linked to suspected drug misuse through Mr Naumoski’s alleged connection to the drug world.

“There was some behaviour that caused police to exercise their powers to conduct an emergent search of the vehicle,” Ms Coley said.

While searching, police located a baby formula tin containing five clip seal bags with a total of 229.77g of substance, later determined to contain 138.13g of pure methylamphetamine.

“It is in my submission quite a large and commercial quantity of methylamphetamine but I can’t make the submission that there was any commercial intention …(however) she should be sentenced on it being a large quantity,” Ms Coley asserted.

A further search of her handbag revealed the woman possessed $41,295 in cash to which she claimed ownership.

Ms Coley conceded York was only deemed to have possession of the drugs as it was reasonable she should have been aware of the large quantity contained in her vehicle, even if they belonged to Mr Naumoski.

Defence barrister Bernard Reilly told the court York suffered a traumatic childhood, leading to a dangerously dysfunctional relationship with her co-accused.

“Those particular features of her background, in my submission, do bear on the ability she had to perhaps conduct herself in a more forthright manner in relation to the activities of her partner,” he said.

Mr Reilly added she suffered severe mental illness throughout her life.

“There are obvious matters that have to be taken into account in relation to my client’s personal condition,” he said.

“Late 2022 to 2023 she began to experience symptoms which are consistent with a functional neurological disorder which resulted in her going in and out of hospital.

“Those symptoms persist … but they do also pose some ongoing issues with respect to her memory, balance, occasionally she is prone to experiencing loss of consciousness.”

Taking into account her limited criminal history, Justice Thomas Bradley KC ruled York serve a three-year suspended sentence for an operational period of four years, with 13 days declared time served.

York was also ordered to serve two years probation for possessing suspected proceeds.