Mum gave own child marijuana

A TOWNSVILLE woman has been jailed for regularly supplying her 15year- old daughter with marijuana.

Rita Connie Parsons, 44, pleaded guilty in Townsville Magistrates Court yesterday to six counts of supplying drugs and one count of possessing a mobile phone used to supply drugs.

Police seized Parsons’ phone Pimlico on June 27.

Text messages revealed that Parsons’ daughter had asked for marijuana, and she had given it to her, on May 23 twice, May 31, June 6, June 14 and June 25.

Prosecutor Sergeant John Moran said Parsons received a jail term in 2015 for similar offending – using her mobile phone to supply drugs. She was then handed a six- month jail term but given immediate parole.

“The prosecution view is, ( her) history is so remarkably bad in such a short period of time, that a sentence of no less than 18 months is now on the cards,” Sgt Moran said. in

“The history has been so wanton since 2015, there has to be a condign punishment today.”

Defence solicitor Madeline Murray said Parsons had a “difficult childhood” and witnessed domestic violence growing up in Ingham.

She had four children to her current husband and one from a previous relationship.

Ms Murray said Parsons had recently been in two car crashes and suffered brain injuries.

Magistrate Ross Mack said Parsons had not co- operated by participating in a police interview, but made an early plea of guilty.

“The fact is, your daughter asked for and was given cannabis,” he said.

“There’s a peculiar morality about that, you’ve got all sorts of issues about responsibility as a parent, there’s no point me going into it, it’s a concept that you’ve missed.”

Parsons was sentenced to 18 months’ jail. She will be eligible for parole on February 8, after spending six months in custody.