Bryan Ian Gibson pleads guilty to drug, driving, dishonesty charges

A drug addict who shot himself in the leg and tried to hide the gun from his mum also crashed a stolen car while high on a cocktail of substances.

Bryan Ian Gibson. Picture: Facebook.

A drug addict who shot himself in the leg and tried to hide the gun from his mum also crashed a stolen car while high on a cocktail of substances.

It was a birthday to forget for Bryan Ian Gibson on Friday, as he appeared in the Geelong Magistrates’ Court via video link.

Gibson, whose mother supported him in court, pleaded guilty to 13 charges including drug driving, possessing ice, failing to render assistance after an accident and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.

The court heard Gibson, 32, was with friends at a home in Belmont on March 6 when a homemade gun fell out of his pocket and went off.

The bullet hit Gibson in leg, and he was bundled into a car by his friends and driven to his mother’s house, where emergency services were called.

The gun was hidden in a black bag in the car and later found by police, along with the spent shell casing and bloodstained bandages.

Gibson was taken to hospital but “absconded” before his arrest on March 12.

Prior to the shooting, police spotted Gibson driving a stolen Renault along Thompson Rd in North Geelong on November 5, the court heard.

Soon after, Gibson veered off the road and crashed into a parked Toyota, in which a person was sitting.

Uninjured, Gibson fled the scene.

When police found him a kilometre away, he had a bum bag, and inside two deal bags containing 1.29g of a white crystal, believed to be ice.

Gibson later became unresponsive after a suspected GHB overdose and was rushed to hospital.

The presence of ice, GHB and THC was found in his blood.

Gibson, who grew up in St Albans Park, was again nabbed drug driving on January 4, this time in Grovedale, under the influence of THC, ice and MDMA.

When interviewed, Gibson said he didn’t have a reason to be drug driving, calling it a “stupid, absolute brain dead move”.

Gibson’s lawyer, Stephanie Mawby, told the court Gibson had “longstanding” issues with drug abuse, and had been diagnosed with both ADHD and PTSD.

She said he had reported a “significant decline in his memory and cognitive capacities” since the November car crash, and asked the court to defer sentencing until a further psychological report could be compiled.

Ms Mawby said a greater understanding of his mental health and drug addiction could “open up a world of support for him and change the trajectory (of his life)”.

Magistrate Franz Holzer agreed that a report should be compiled and added he didn’t think waiting would disadvantage Gibson, given prison was on the cards.

Mr Holzer deferred sentence for the more serious charges to July 29, however he convicted and fined Gibson $1300 for displaying incorrect plates and possessing cartridge ammunition.

Gibson’s licence was also cancelled for three and a half years.

Originally published as Bryan Ian Gibson pleads guilty to drug, driving, dishonesty charges