Dealing ice lands addict mum in jail

A YOUNG mum who turned to drugs after a relationship breakdown has been jailed for trafficking methylamphetamine.

Wannaporn Thong- Urai, 23, faced the Supreme Court in Townsville to be sentenced for trafficking, seven counts of supplying dangerous drugs and 31 summary charges, including unlawful use of a motor vehicle, three counts of failing to stop a motor vehicle, wilful damage and possession of a knife in a public place.

The court heard ThongUrai trafficked methylamphetamine between October 2016 and February 2017.

Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane said Thong- Urai continued to traffick drugs after two police searches.

“Her phone was seized in December and it seems it took some time for the police to then get the warrant and search her home, which was in January 2017 … and when they attended on that date she had a different phone that reflected drug messages,” he said.

“After the January search she got a phone subscribed the very next day and continued to traffick until February 2017.”

Mr Crane said Thong- Urai had 21 customers and there were 57 proven transactions, which “provided a window into offending”.

“Profit could not be determined but she clearly could move enough of the product to dispose of 14 grams at any one time,” he said.

Defence barrister Harvey Walters said Thong- Urai had a severe drug addiction.

“My client, your honour, while in Year 11 in high school fell pregnant,” he said.

“She had to leave school at that time … and she was in a re- lationship with the father of her two daughters until they split about three- and- a- half to three- and- three- quarters of a year ago.

“Prior to that she’d never even drunk alcohol.

“My client rebelled, commenced drinking, associating with people who used drugs, started using methylamphetamine and became quickly addicted.”

Mr Walters said ThongUrai, who has spent 22 days in custody, had told him that she was “happy to be in prison”.

“She said it’s the first time since she started using drugs and alcohol that she feels normal again, just the period of time that she has been drugfree,” he said.

Thong- Urai was sentenced to four- and- a- half years for trafficking and a range of lesser sentences for the other charges, including three months for unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one month for wilful damage. She will be eligible for parole on February 6, 2020.

Thong- Urai was disqualified from holding a driver’s licence for three years.