STATE OF TASMANIA v ALANA LYNETTE MURRAY 21 AUGUST 2026
COMMENTS ON PASSING SENTENCE PEARCE J
Alana Murray, you plead guilty to trafficking in a controlled substance and dealing with property suspected of being proceeds of crime. I also agreed to deal with your plea of guilty to the summary charges of possessing a stolen firearm, possessing a firearm part, possessing ammunition, possessing a firearm without a licence, failing to take all precautions to ensure the safekeeping of a firearm, unlawful possession of property, and possessing methylamphetamine and two smoking devices.
At 10.30 am on 15 February 2024, the police executed a search warrant at your home in suburban Launceston. In your bedroom they found a double barrel shotgun concealed in the lining at the back of the bed head and 12 shotgun rounds in the wardrobe. During the search, you were seated in a chair in the bedroom. You were asked to move and when you did so the police found small bag inside the lining. In the bag was a snap lock bag containing 27.7 grams (about an ounce) of methylamphetamine, $32,380 in cash and a mobile phone. Your handbag, hanging on the door, contained digital scales, empty snap lock bags, rubber bands and 0.45 grams of methylamphetamine. There was a further $785 in cash on the nightstand and $1,000 in the dresser. The shotgun was stolen and you had no firearm licence. A small separate amount of methylamphetamine was found along with two smoking devices.
Depending on the quantities in which it was sold, the methylamphetamine you had was worth somewhere between about $12,000 and $17,000. The cash in the concealed bag was the proceeds of drug sales.
You are aged 28. You were 26 when these offences were committed. Your plea of guilty is in your favour. It was not an early plea, but it eventually avoided the need for a trial and indicated an acceptance of responsibility.
I was informed that you had a difficult childhood. Your father was abusive. You left school before completing grade 8 and moved out of home. Despite that, you found stable employment and were industrious enough to fund your own accommodation. You lived by yourself until about 2020. You were still only about 23, but by then you had a daughter, and your brother and mother came to live with you. You assumed responsibility for them. The weight of this responsibility led you to recreational drug use which regrettably progressed to daily use of methylamphetamine, and association with persons who were not a good influence. You fell out with your mother which made the situation worse. You had no relevant prior convictions until 2023, when you were sentenced to imprisonment for eight weeks for two counts of evading police, and a further suspended term of three months for a series of offences of dishonesty, possessing cannabis, other driving offences and bail breaches. A week later ,you breached that suspended term by driving while disqualified. You managed to avoid activation of the suspended sentence but continued to commit offences. On 31 October 2023, you were found in possession of a folding knife and controlled substances, cannabis and GBH. In March 2024, there was a further instance of evading police, reckless driving and driving while disqualified. In August 2024, you were sentenced to a term of one month and the three month suspended term was activated. The crimes for which I am now to sentence you were committed during the same period. The offending I have described is the type often committed by a person with a serious drug issue. The small amount of methylamphetamine in your handbag was for your use. It was not disputed by the State that your criminal conduct was contributed to by your addiction and motivated, at least in part, by a need to fund drug purchases. You were also associating with others involved in the commercial sale of illicit drugs. The firearm came from a drug associate.
The only sentence imposed since your release in 2024 was in February this year, when you were given a wholly suspended 21 day term for breaching bail, possessing knuckle dusters in public, possessing an Ice pipe and stealing. You now have another child. Your two children are in the primary care of your mother but you have frequent contact with them.
The seriousness of trafficking in illicit drugs has been emphasised on many occasions and is well understood. You have no prior convictions for trafficking, but you and others who decide to take the risk of trafficking in illicit drugs, must understand that harsh punishment will result. The use of and trade in methylamphetamine causes terrible harm. It is a matter of great concern to the courts and the community and generates other offending, especially crimes of dishonesty and violence. Your possession of a stolen firearm is not to be overlooked. The significant penalties provided for by the legislation reflect the concern of the community and the legislature about the association between stolen firearms, and other crimes of dishonesty and violence. Firearms are also part of the stock in trade of the trafficker. You had no licence and no possible justification for possession of such a weapon. I am told that your struggle with addiction continues. However, because you face outstanding charges for violence, you are not eligible for a drug treatment order, even if I were minded to make such an order.
The only appropriate sentence for these crimes is a term of imprisonment. Your rehabilitation remains a significant sentencing aim if it can be achieved, but you will require support in the community to have any realistic chance. I have decided to fashion an order with that in mind.
You are convicted on the indictment and on complaint 31653/24, counts 3 to 10 inclusive. Pursuant to the Misuse of Drugs Act, s 36B, I assess the reasonable expense of and attending the analysis and examination of the controlled substance as $558, and award that sum against you as part of the costs of the prosecutor. I may only give you 28 days to pay, but you may apply for a payment arrangement. I am satisfied that the sum of $34,165 is tainted property as the proceeds of drug sales, and that no hardship will result from its forfeiture. I order, pursuant to the Crime (Confiscation of Profits) Act 1993, s 16(1) that the money is forfeited to the State. I am satisfied that the firearm seized by the police, a Bettinsoli Model EVO, serial number 273785, is tainted property as an instrument of crime, and that no hardship will result from its forfeiture. I order, pursuant to the Crime (Confiscation of Profits) Act 1993, s 16(1) that the firearm is forfeited to the State. I order that items 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16 and 17 on police property seizure record 180544, are forfeited to the State.
On the complaint, counts 5, 6 and 7, in light of the other order I am about to make, I make no further order. On the indictment and on counts 3, 4, 8, 9 and 10, I impose one sentence. You are sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 15 months from 14 August 2026, the day you were remanded in custody. I make no order as to parole but suspend nine months of that term for two years from your release on the following conditions:
- You are not to commit another offence punishable by imprisonment during that period. If you breach that condition you will be required to serve the suspended term unless that is unjust.
- During the two year operational period of the order, commencing on your release, you will be subject to the supervision of a probation officer. The conditions referred to in s 24(5B) of the Sentencing Act apply to this condition, and will be set out in the order you will be given. These include that you must report to a probation officer at the office of Community Corrections in Launceston within three clear working days of your release, you must submit to supervision and comply with the directions given by your probation officer, you must not leave Tasmania without permission and you must notify of any change of address.
- In addition to the core conditions, the order will also include the following special conditions that you must, during the operational period of the order:
- submit to the supervision of a Community Corrections officer as required by that officer;
- attend educational and other programs, undergo assessment and treatment for alcohol or drug dependency, submit to testing for alcohol or drug use and submit to medical, psychological or psychiatric assessment or treatment as directed by a probation officer; and
- attend and complete the EQUIPS addiction program as directed by a probation officer.