Blayde Tyson Watts: Drug dealer avoids jail for selling cannabis partly because of traumatic upbringing

A drug dealer who a court heard was beaten by his father as a child so badly he had to “eat through a straw” and stay home for weeks has avoided jail. Blayde Tyson Watts, 25, appeared in Geraldton Magistrates Court on Thursday when he was sentenced for possession of prohibited drugs with intent to sell or supply. He also pleaded guilty to breaching bail and failing to comply with reporting conditions. The court was told police observed Watts on April 27 driving on the wrong side of the road on Howes Street in Rangeway and conducted a vehicle stop. Police prosecutor Sen. Const. Thomas Potts said officers could smell cannabis and searched the car. They located a bag containing 7.42g of cannabis and a lunch box containing 20.56g of cannabis, a number of clip sealed bags and a set of digital scales. Sen. Const. Potts said Watts’ mobile phone contained a number of text messages offering to sell drugs. Defence lawyer Aaron Plenderleith said Watts was dealing small amounts of cannabis to friends and family to support his finances. He said Watts was exposed to violence and alcohol at a young age and was in “dire need of some guidance from the court”. Mr Plenderleith explained Watts was once so badly assaulted by his father he was absent from school for two weeks and “ate his meals through a straw”. Magistrate Matthew Walton described Watts as a “drug dealer” but took into account his traumatic upbringing. “You have significant trauma that was not your fault by people who were meant to look after you,” he said. Watts received a seven-month community-based order and a $200 fine, while an order for destruction of the drugs was made.