In R v Julie Elizabeth Beattie [2024] QCA 77, the applicant pleaded guilty to four counts of supplying methylamphetamine, one count of possessing methylamphetamine in excess of two grams, and one count of possessing a mobile phone used in connection with supplying a dangerous drug. The offences occurred between 23 and 26 November 2020, with the guilty plea entered on 25 July 2022. The applicant failed to appear for sentencing on 30 September 2022 due to a medical emergency but was later granted bail.
Sentenced on 19 July 2023, Beattie received an 18-month imprisonment for each of counts 1–4, three and a half years for count 5, and three months for count 6, with all sentences to run concurrently. A parole eligibility date was set at 18 December 2024. The sole ground for the application for leave to appeal was that the sentences were manifestly excessive.
Additional grounds included the failure of legal representatives to tender key character references, errors in considering parity, failure to acknowledge drug dependency and the impact of the COVID pandemic, and speculative immigration matters. The court reviewed these grounds but found no substantial errors or relevant mitigating factors unaccounted for during sentencing. The application for leave to adduce additional evidence, including character references and a letter from Moonyah Recovery Centre, was refused, alongside the application for leave to appeal against the sentence. The court concluded that the sentence aligned with comparable cases and appropriately reflected the severity of the offences.