Jorden Lee Brent Chapman avoids jail for second time for selling meth to Ayr residents

A North Queensland man sold drugs to a mother with her child in tow before his own mum and nephew were killed by an alleged drug driver, a court has heard.

A NORTH Queensland man who sold drugs to a mother with her child in tow was delivered an “immense eye-opener” when his own mother and nephew were killed by an alleged drug driver.

Jorden Lee Brent Chapman, 25, wiped away tears as Judge John Coker handed down his sentence in Townsville District Court on Wednesday, after pleading guilty to 11 counts of supplying methylamphetamine.

Chapman had previously dodged a conviction for supplying drugs back in 2018 – but took up dealing meth again in 2020.

The court heard on August 5, 2020 police searched Chapman’s Ayr home which he shared with his mother, where they found a small amount of meth, a notebook with recorded drug sales, and a mobile phone.

A forensic download of the phone revealed Chapman had sold meth to seven people over an “intensive” supply period of a month.

The court heard in one text exchange, a woman told Chapman her drug purchase would have to be “subtle” because she had a child with her.

Defence barrister Kelly Stone asked Judge Coker Chapman not be sentenced to actual jail time, saying his client had made positive changes to his life after the death of his mother and nephew in a traffic crash.

When Judge Coker pointed out Chapman’s offending happened before his mother’s death, Mr Stone said Chapman had since stopped using drugs.

“The fact that his mother and nephew were killed in an accident by a drink intoxicated and drug intoxicated driver has been, for him, an immense eye-opener,” he said.

Chapman supplied meth to North Queensland residents including a mother who asked that a transaction be 'subtle' because her child was with her.

It was heard that Chapman’s mother had previously been jailed for drug offending and had been a “heavy user”.

Mr Stone said Chapman had since relocated to the Gold Coast where he held two jobs and saw a psychologist.

In sentencing, Mr Coker said despite Chapman’s own experience, he had still peddled the drug to members of the community to support his own addiction.

“It is hard to imagine what could more directly bring home to you the dreadful consequences of what you had done and had been doing,” Mr Coker said.

Chapman was sentenced to 12 months jail wholly suspended for two years.

He will be on probation for two years.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Jorden Lee Brent Chapman avoids jail for second time for selling meth to Ayr residents