Drug dealer Tyler Maree Scoones and her baby spent two years in jail

The drug dealing Toowoomba mum had dealt primarily in meth at a street level over a two-month period.

The Toowoomba mother and two-year-old child will be released from prison in time for Christmas.

Two years in pre-sentence custody was deemed time enough for a drug dealing Toowoomba mum and her baby child who were released from prison.

An upbeat Tyler Maree Scoones, 28, appeared via video link from the women’s prison on Tuesday to plead guilty before Toowoomba Supreme Court to trafficking meth over a two-month period from November 28, 2019, and to possessing meth, MDMA (ecstasy) and cocaine in amounts above the 2g schedule as well as to possessing cannabis and two handguns when arrested on February 7, 2020.

Justice Martin Burns said the time in custody had given Scoones time to get off drugs and that time in custody had been more than ordinarily difficult for her because of the Covid lockdowns and the fact she had her baby with her for most of that time.

“Her life was out of control and going in the wrong direction,” Justice Burns said.

“But she is one who benefited from going into custody.

“I think she’s done enough time.”

Crown prosecutor Shontelle Petrie told the court Scoones at the time of the offending had been on parole for similar offending.

Ms Petrie said Scoones at the time of the trafficking was 26 and she had trafficked to other people who were onselling the drugs.

Her latest offending had come to light after a police search of her Toowoomba home on February 7, last year, the court heard.

Among the items found were 53.2g of pure methylamphetamine in 69.5g of substance, 12.5g of pure ecstasy, 2.4g of cocaine, one hallucinogenic tablet, 19g of cannabis and two Category H handguns, the court heard.

Scoones had been held in custody since her arrest that day, totalling 676 days or seven weeks short of two years.

Justice Burns acknowledged the young mother’s efforts at rehabilitation since being held in custody.

The court heard Scoones had some years ago been seriously injured in a car crash for which she was prescribed pain killers.

However, when the pain killers ran out she had turned to methylamphetamine use.

Justice Burns also noted Scoones’ child had a number of medical issues and was possibly facing surgery.

He warned her that she would have “some significant things hanging over her head” by way of supervision for some time after she was released from prison.

Justice Burns said on a six year jail term, Scoones would have already served one third at which point most prisoners were released on a plea of guilty.

Noting the 676 days she had spent in pre-sentence custody, Justice Burns sentenced Scoones to four and a half years in jail but ordered the whole term be suspended forthwith to hang over her head for the next five years during which time she was not to commit any further offence or risk being returned to jail to serve out the sentence.

Scoones was also placed on the maximum three years probation which would include random drug testing with any positive test deemed a breach of the order.