Invictus Games medallist and Townsville business owner Tyrone Ian Gawthorne pleads guilty to drugs and weapons charges

A popular businessman and Invictus Games medallist has pleaded guilty to drug and weapons charges after a failed attempt to challenge the validity of a police search warrant.

Co-owners of 1 Million Strong Andrew O'Brien and Tyrone Gawthorne have shared their top tips for staying fit and healthy over the festive period. PICTURE: MATT TAYLOR.

The owner of a popular Townsville gym and bar, among other ventures – has pleaded guilty in court after his lawyer attempted to argue the police search warrant executed to find the prohibited items was invalid.

Tyrone Ian Gawthorne appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning as his defence lawyer Andrew Peel from Purcell Taylor Lawyers argued the search conducted of the man’s property on February 13 last year wasn’t valid on multiple grounds.

It was argued that the evidence regarding Gawthorne’s eight drugs and weapons charges were unlawfully obtained due to the search warrant application not including the offence details, and being in relation to animal protection matters.

“The issuing warrant was invalid based on the application failing to put any information at all to the issuing magistrate on an essential element of the offence,” Mr Peel said.

However, Magistrate Viviana Keegan said “on the face of it” the application “quite clearly goes through the specified offences under the Nature and Conservation Act”.

Her Honour also assessed the second ground which was that officers did not consider the provision of the Animal Protection Act that applies to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people, that allows them to keep protected wildlife, and Gawthorne is a First Nations man.

Magistrate Keegan however said it was not enough for someone to identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island to keep the animals.

The Department of Environment and Science will investigate the alleged illegal capture of protected wildlife by Tyrone Gawthorne. Picture: Instagram

“They need to be acting under the traditional custom,” she said, before denying the application.

Police prosecutor Nathan Smith told the court during the search of Gawthorne’s property last year police found steroids including 30 tablets and a 30ml vial of SARMs.

The Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator is a ‘steroid alternative’ that has reportedly gained traction over the last decade for its alleged performance enhancing abilities.

Mr Smith told the court Gawthorne was also found in possession of a high power laser pointer, metal knuckle dusters and a personal stun gun which he told police at the time that he forgot he had.

His defence lawyer emphasised he had been complaint with officers during the search and despite the application made relating to the warrant, it was an early plea of guilty.

Tyrone Gawthorne was a member of the Australian 2018 Invictus Games team. Picture: Richard Dobson

The Invictus Games medallist and father of four isn’t a stranger to the media or the courtroom as the court was told he was sentenced to two years jail with immediate parole in Cairns Supreme Court in 2019 for serious drugs and weapons charges.

Gawthorne pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing drugs, two counts of possessing medicines or hazardous poisons, two counts of possessing weapons and one count each of dealing with prohibited substances and restricted items.

He was fined $1000 and a conviction was recorded.

Gawthorne’s remaining charges of assault occasioning bodily harm and wilful damage were adjourned to August 15.

Originally published as Invictus Games medallist and Townsville business owner Tyrone Ian Gawthorne pleads guilty to drugs and weapons charges