South Hedland mum Fiona Lesley Hayter spared jail over dealing meth to fund drug addiction

A South Hedland mother of three, who now lives in Karratha, has received a suspended prison sentence for dealing methamphetamine to finance her addiction. Fiona Lesley Hayter appeared in South Hedland District Court last Wednesday for sentencing, charged with the sell and supply of methamphetamine, which carries with it a maximum 25 years in jail. The three offences, which involved the supply of 2.75g of the drug, spanned two months from March 2018 when Hayter lived in South Hedland. The court was told Hayter supplied the drug as a “favour for a friend” who was planning on selling for her own commercial gain. Her co-accused was sentenced to jail, having been charged with 52 offences in relation to the illicit substance. Hayter was arrested on June 27, 2018 and was released on bail. She entered an early plea of guilty to the three charge in August 2020. State prosecution argued an immediate prison sentence was appropriate due to the significant impact of drug dealing in “vulnerable” regional communities. The court was also told the birth of Hayter’s oldest child was “significant” and triggered a drug relapse in 2018. Hayter has worked in multiple roles throughout the community including in mining, gardening and as a disability support worker. Judge Martin Flynn said despite strong mitigating factors, including Hayter’s remorse and successful rehabilitation efforts, a community message about drugs must take priority in sentencing. “It is not a significant weight such as this court usually deals with,” he said. “But it has the capacity to impact a number of people (in the community).” Hayter received an eight-month suspended prison sentence, which she will carry out in Karratha. She is expected to report to community corrections and receive counselling.