No jail for Bunbury woman Jodee Narelle Read after meth flush try

A Bunbury woman has avoided jail for attempting to destroy her then-partner’s methamphetamine stash by flushing it down a shower drain and has allegedly indicated she would give evidence against him. Jodee Narelle Read, 47, was handed a 12-month prison sentence that was suspended for the same amount of time after pleading guilty to possessing the prohibited drug and attempting to wilfully destroy evidence. The court was told police arrived at a Montefiore Street property in Australind on September 6, 2019 to execute a drug search. Upon gaining entry, the officers saw Read getting out of the shower while her then-partner Neville Troy Watson arrived at the property a short time later. Police located and seized 10 clip-seal bags, containing a total of 11.44g of methamphetamine, positioned over the shower drain. A further 15g of the illicit drug was found inside the cover of Read’s mobile phone and $1300 cash, digital scales, a tick list and a Samsung tablet containing messages alluding to drug dealing were located and seized within the bedroom of the property. It was understood Read had come into possession of the methamphetamine because she was aware the drugs allegedly belonged to Mr Watson and tried destroying the drug in an impulsive attempt to dispose of the evidence. Mr Watson is yet to face trial in the District Court over a charge of possessing methamphetamine with intent to sell or supply and State prosecutor Edward Fitzpatrick told the court Read was allegedly indicating she was willing to give evidence against Mr Watson in his upcoming trial after breaking up with him. In submissions, defence lawyer Rhonda Parkes told the court Read had initially moved to Bunbury with the father of her youngest child for work opportunities but became involved with Mr Watson after her initial relationship came to an end. “She did use methamphetamine at that time but she says she hasn’t used for some 12 months and she says that it was not a good relationship, and, of course it has led to this offending,” she said. District Court Judge Andrew Stavrianou said attempting to destroy the methamphetamine was “completely misplaced conduct” and accepted that Read had since realised that.