Glamorous influencer Kate Szepanowski said goodbye to her boyfriend Jordan Roman Brennan last Thursday after he was sentenced to 11 years in jail for attempting to aid in a ‘greedy’ cocaine smuggling plot.
The mum-of-two, 29, attended Brisbane Supreme Court as Brennan was sentenced to just over a decade with a non-parole period of five-and-a-half years after he and his friend Brendan John Sipple were found guilty of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of unlawfully imported drugs.
A jury returned guilty verdicts for both men on May 31 after deliberating for more than six hours following a brief trial.
The two friends were hired to find 48kg of high-purity cocaine hidden in a shipping container.
Brennan and Sipple, 30, entered a freight yard at the Port of Brisbane at 4.10am on June 12, 2020, after spotting a particular shipping container during their previous surveillance runs.
Justice Michael Copley said one or both the men opened the panels of the container’s refrigeration unit expecting to find a substantial amount of cocaine.
‘Your involvement in this offending was due to giving in to the temptation of greed,’ Justice Copley said as he handed down the sentence.
Glamorous influencer Kate Szepanowski, 29, (left) said goodbye to boyfriend Jordan Roman Brennan, also 29, (right) last Thursday after he was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment
The cocaine had been removed by police four months prior after workers at a dock in Belgium found 42 rectangular packages hidden in the container.
Police had been tracking the men with listening and GPS devices as they drove a van from their Gold Coast homes to the Port of Brisbane multiple times in June 2020.
The jury heard audio from the van with the men discussing a large payment and plans to bury the cocaine in isolated bushland.
The mum-of-two attended Brisbane Supreme Court to watch as her beau was sentenced to just over a decade with a non-parole period of five-and-a-half years
The audio also captured the men celebrating when they found the container by listening to the songs ‘Circles’ by Post Malone and ‘Survivor’ by Destiny’s Child.
Crown prosecutor Patrick Wilson said the men had been determined to work as a key element in the illegal drug supply chain and had demonstrated no remorse.
‘It’s clear they were doing something for a substantial financial reward in return for their involvement… they plainly knew the drugs were going to be commercially exploited by others,’ Mr Wilson said.
Defence barrister Josh Underwood said Sipple had overcome a difficult childhood to start a business supplying subcontractors to the building industry.
Brennan and Brendan John Sipple, who were hired to find 48kg of high-purity cocaine hidden in a shipping container, have been jailed for their ‘greed’
Brennan and Sipple, 30, (pictured) faced Brisbane Supreme Court last week for sentencing for one count each of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of unlawfully imported drugs
‘He is honest and hardworking… and this offending was out of character for him,’ Mr Underwood said.
Barrister Mitchell Rawlings said Brennan had a great deal of motivation to rehabilitate himself and had started a courier business.
‘He had sporadic but concerning contact with authorities during his early life but that has settled down now,’ Mr Rawlings said.
Justice Copley said he had to impose a sentence that would deter the defendants and others from attempting to chase ‘easy money’ from serious drug offending.
Brennan waved and blew kisses to partner Szepanowski, his family and supporters in court as he was taken back into custody
‘Neither of you had any compunction about the effects this cocaine would have on individual or the community,’ Justice Copley said.
Sipple was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of six-and-a-half years.
Brennan was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of five-and-a-half years due to spending two years on remand.
He waved and blew kisses to partner Szepanowski, his family and supporters in court as he was taken back into custody.
Szepanowski was spotted just a few weeks ago attending court to support him as she applied lip gloss, having completely transformed her look from blonde to brunette
Szepanowski is the sister of fellow influencer Chloe Szepanowski, who in turn is a member of the Orval family through her relationship with YouTuber Mitch Orval.
Despite the Gold Coast-based beauty making a living as an influencer, she has taken an extended break from social media while boyfriend Brennan faced drug charges.
She was spotted just a few weeks ago attending court to support him as she applied lip gloss, having completely transformed her look from blonde to brunette.
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Szepanowski for comment.
