Mum helped son sail away before drug trial

Ahead of her son's drug trial, Elizabeth Anne Turner bought a yacht so he could escape to the Philippines.

After he fled the country, Turner claimed her son had killed himself in a remote location where his body could not be found.

In the end, Markis Turner was arrested in the Philippines in September 2017.

Five years later, Turner, 68, faced Brisbane District Court for her "appalling and deeply disturbing conduct".

Turner sought to help her son "permanently escape justice" after he was arrested in May 2011 in north Queensland, crown prosecutor Ben Power said.

Markis Turner was charged by Mackay police with 10 offences relating to the importation and planned trafficking of cocaine.

He is still in custody in the Philippines fighting extradition to Australia.

Turner put up $450,000 to secure her son's bail before he was committed to stand trial in September 2015.

However, just weeks before the trial was set to start, her son failed to report to Mackay police and his bail was revoked.

"In fact what had occurred was Markis ... had left Australia in a yacht the Shangri-La," Mr Power said.

Arriving in the Philippines in November 2015, her son lived for years in the country under a false name before his arrest.

Turner had bought the yacht and provided her son cash for his journey.

In a bid to help her son avoid detection and apprehension - and also secure the return of the substantial surety - Turner told authorities she believed he had taken his own life.

She made the false claims in an October 2015 sworn affidavit and while giving Supreme Court evidence in April 2016.

Turner didn't report her son missing to police until February 2016, months after he had set sail.

"The steps that you took ... might perhaps be understood as the actions of a mother seeking to protect a child involved as it turns out in extremely serious criminal conduct," Judge Ian Dearden said.

"But as you well know the consequences of this have come to haunt you in every possible way."

Turner's actions proved to be financially and emotionally disastrous and had a significant effect on her mental and physical health, the court heard.

Turner was described as a hard-working woman responsible for running quite significant enterprises before helping her son.

"You effectively put all of that at substantial risk as well as your own liberty in the interests of your son," Judge Dearden said.

"It was appallingly misplaced and very destructive to your family unit and most importantly clearly constitutes serious criminal offending that goes to the heart of the administration of justice."

Judge Dearden described Turner's matter as "profoundly sad" but said she should have known better.

"No matter how near, dear or distant someone is ... that never justifies committing very serious criminal offences," he said.

Turner pleaded guilty to attempting to prevent the course of justice and giving false testimony.

She was sentenced to three years in jail.

However, Turner walked free from court on Thursday on a four-year good behaviour bond with 302 days in custody declared time served.