David Speirs drug case: Court documents outline cocaine hiding places, messages and arrest while mother sleeps in Berri shack

Cocaine in the fireplace, rocks crushed in the kitchen and long Instagram chats about life – this is the unravelling of the former Member for Black.

Former Opposition leader David Speirs crushed rocks of cocaine – stashed in his bedside drawers and fireplace – on his kitchen bench before snorting it through Australian and US bank notes, telling friends he was “always happy to catch up for a drink and a bag”, court documents reveal.

It can also be revealed Speirs exchanged “hundreds” of messages with the men to whom he supplied the drug, on topics including “life and sexuality”, and worried “what we did yesterday” might take one of them “off the path” of sobriety.

The documents, released by the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday, also reveal Speirs was arrested by police in a luxury Berri shack, while his mother slept in the next room.

On Monday, the Adelaide Magistrates Court provided The Advertiser with SA Police’s summary of the case against Speirs, who will be sentenced for his offending next week.

He has pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying a controlled drug, other than cannabis, to another person but has asked to be spared a conviction for his “escapism” from political stress.

Former South Australian Liberal leader David Speirs told friends he was “always happy to catch up for a bag and a drink”, court documents reveal. Picture: NewsWire / Dean Martin

The document – which the court heard Speirs and his counsel do not dispute – says police began their investigation into the former Member for Black on August 12, 2024.

That investigation was prompted, it says, by “information alleging Speirs supplied cocaine at his home address on at least two occasions”.

It says those allegations were made prior to The Advertiser’s publication, on September 9, 2024, of a video depicting Speirs snorting a line of white powder on his kitchen bench in the early hours of June 30 that year.

The day after The Advertiser’s publication, the document states, police approached and interviewed Peter Zubic, having “identified him as a witness” to Speirs’ drug use, and also seized and analysed his phone.

Mr Zubic, the document says, told police he had known Speirs “for 15 years” but had “lost contact with him until recently”.

He said they met again by chance, in the same cafe on Jetty Rd, Brighton, with mutual associate Andrew Sampson.

The images that started the white powder scandal when revealed in The Advertiser.

The images that started the white powder scandal when revealed in The Advertiser.

A few days later, Mr Zubic said, Speirs began contacting him via Instagram Messenger and, on July 21, 2024, then “began a back-and-forth conversation”.

That conversation, subsequently seen by police, “did refer to the use of illicit substances, being cocaine and cannabis”.

Speirs “made comment to Mr Zubic whilst reminiscing about the recent catch up” that they should meet again, and that doing so “over some weed and coke” would make “it even better.”

Mr Zubic said he and Mr Sampson went to Speirs’ home on August 2 where the MP “produced a rock of cocaine, crushed it on the bench top in the kitchen” and “snorted it using a rolled up note”, the document states.

He said he and Mr Sampson allegedly “self-administered a few lines of cocaine” and “when the cocaine available ran out, Speirs went to his bedroom and returned with more”.

The document further states that Mr Zubic said he and Mr Sampson “remained at Speirs’ home address for about three hours” before departing.

Two days later, it says, Speirs sent another Instagram message to Mr Sampson, saying he was “always happy to catch up at my place for a drink”.

He then sent a second message saying, within brackets, “and a bag”.

“DRUGS, LIFE AND SEXUALITY”

The document says Speirs also continued speaking with Mr Zubic over Instagram.

“The conversation continues, referencing drugs, life and sexuality until their next face-to-face encounter one week after their first,” the document says.

“At 5am (on August 9), Mr Zubic and Mr Sampson attended the home address of Speirs after being invited an hour prior.

“When Mr Zubic and Mr Sampson arrived at Speirs’ home address, there was already cocaine on the kitchen bench.

“Whilst with Speirs and at his home, the three consumed alcohol and cocaine provided by Speirs.”

The document says Mr Zubic had been attending Narcotics Anonymous prior to his renewed friendship with Speirs, which the MP subsequently referenced in their chats.

Speirs wrote: “I was a bit worried what we did yesterday would’ve taken you off the path.”

Detectives also spoke with Mr Sampson who “was open with police about his life, history of drug use” and “admiration for Speirs over a long period of time”.

Police asked Mr Sampson “has David ever supplied you with illicit drugs?” and he replied that he “was in a position” where he would “either lie or not answer” that question.

“You pretty much know the answer, then,” Sampson told police, saying he was “concerned about breaching trust”.

The document says that, on September 13, Speirs went overseas to Denpasar, and that police arrested him upon his return on September 26, at 9.10pm, in Unit 10 of the Par Five Shacks at Berri.

“Speirs opened the door to police who informed him he was under arrest for two counts of supplying a controlled drug,” the document says.

“Police entered, where Speirs informed police that his mother was asleep in the other room.”

Speirs and his mother – who was not accused of any wrongdoing – were conveyed to the Berri Police Station, where he spoke with lawyer Domenic Agresta.

Meanwhile, at 10.29pm, police executed a general search warrant at Speirs’ home.

In the top drawer of the master bedroom, police found “resealable bags containing white powdery residue, rolled-up foreign currency, a rolled-up $1USD bank note, a rolled-up $5AUD bank note” and “a hand-rolled cigarette containing suspected cannabis”.

In the second drawer, they found an Apple laptop.

In the fireplace, they found “five small resealable bags containing white powdery residue” and “two rolled-up $5AUD bank notes”.

Speirs, the document says, declined to answer questions at Berri after speaking with Mr Agresta but consented to giving a hair sample for forensic testing.

Police also seized from Speirs an Apple iPhone, iPad, MacBook Air and Apple Watch, and took a buccal swab sample for DNA testing purposes.

Ten minutes later, he was asked about “the dark-coloured Melrose T-shirt he was wearing in The Advertiser report” and “if that T-shirt was at his accommodation”.

“Speirs declined to make a comment,” the document says.

He was released on bail a further 10 minutes later, with police driving him and his mother back to their accommodation.