Convicted killer Rebecca Massey back behind bars after Gowrie drug raid

The convicted killer was released on parole in May last year after spending 10 years in jail for stabbing Elizabeth Booshand to death outside a Charnwood chicken shop in 2008.

The ACT Magistrates Court on Friday heard the 48-year-old's first year of freedom had passed "without incident".

But prosecutor Trent Hickey said things began to go downhill when urinalysis detected methamphetamine in her system this May, prompting a warning from the Sentence Administration Board.

He said Massey had since returned a second positive test for the same drug.

But before another round of parole breach proceedings could be initiated, Massey was arrested at her Gowrie home on Friday morning.

She appeared in court late in the afternoon, when First Constable Jason Lobel said police had received "a number of information reports surrounding Ms Massey being involved in trafficking drugs".

He said investigators had executed search warrants at the 48-year-old mother's home just after 5am.

The officer said Massey was slurring her words and had struggled to stay awake before she eventually fell asleep on a lounge for two or three hours in the middle of the raid.

Her behaviour was consistent with what he said he would expect from someone "coming down" after having used heroin or methamphetamine.

First Constable Lobel told Magistrate Glenn Theakston police ultimately found a variety of illicit substances throughout the home.

He said three clipseal bags containing a substance suspected to be methamphetamine had been discovered inside a sunglasses case that was in a bassinet in the kitchen area.

The officer estimated these drugs would be worth about $8000 on the street.

He said four glass vials containing what was believed to be GHB, a "date rape" drug, were located in an upstairs bedroom.

The first constable told the court police had also found "what we would describe as a kit one would use to smuggle drugs into prison".

He said it contained more suspected GHB, a needle, a substance believed to be heroin, and four Xanax tablets.

Massey was arrested for breaching parole conditions that prevent her using prohibited substances, but has not yet been charged over the discoveries.

Mr Hickey asked Mr Theakston to remand the 48-year-old in custody until the Sentence Administration Board could sit to assess her suitability to continue on parole.

But Legal Aid duty lawyer Solitaire Zahnleiter applied for Massey to be released on bail.

Ms Zahnleiter said four other people had been at the property with Massey at the time of the raid, including another parolee.

"We are simply unable to determine who owned these substances and what they are," she told the court.

Ms Zahnleiter also said Massey, who has been working as a delivery driver for a restaurant in Jamison, was no risk of "burying her head in the sand" and failing to front the parole board under her own steam.

"She is someone who is making genuine attempts at trying to turn her life around," the Legal Aid lawyer said.

Mr Theakston ultimately found Massey had failed to establish the special or exceptional circumstances required by law to justify her release.

"I think my hands are tied and I must refuse bail," he said.

Massey was remanded in custody to appear before the parole board this coming Tuesday.

Her total sentence for the murder does not expire until 2026.

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