Former DJ’s suspicious behaviour alerts cops to drugs in car

“If you’re going to be upset... you’re going to have to find some other way of dealing with it than calling your dealer.”

Nathan Robert Howlett pleaded guilty in Bundaberg Magistrates Court to two offences including possessing dangerous drugs. Photo: Social Media

A small amount of marijuana has proven very costly for a Bundaberg man after he was fined in court on Friday.

Nathan James Howlett, 30, pleaded guilty in Bundaberg Magistrates Court to one count of possessing dangerous drugs and possessing pipes or things which had been used.

The court heard former DJ was pulled over by police on March 25 in what was a random intercept.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Tina Bland told the court officer became suspicious when Howlett was shaking, not making eye contact and began sweating.

Police asked to see Howlett's licence and continued digging through his wallet when police could see it.

Police detained Howlett so they could search his car and asked him if there were any drug-related items in the car.

Howlett told them he had a glass pipe and some marijuana in the car.

Police found a black and orange cooler bag where they found a total of 7.47g of marijuana.

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They also found clip seal bags, three unused glass pipes, two plastic spoons which Howlett told officers he used to smoke ice.

Sen Const Bland told the court Howlett had been dealt with in District Court previously for a serious drug offence.

However she conceded the amount of marijuana found was small.

Howlett's lawyer Mary Buchanan told the court her client began using drugs in his early 20s after becoming a DJ.

Ms Buchanan said when Howlett was involved in the music scene he experimented with drugs before he became addicted.

She said Howlett had been imprisoned in the past.

Ms Buchanan said the last time Howlett "came off the rails" was after the breakdown of his relationship.

Magistrate Andrew Moloney took into account Howlett's plea of guilty and that it had been two and a half years since he had been before the court.

Mr Moloney also took into account Howlett's history and said he didn't know what it was going to take for him to learn his lesson.

"I don't know what it is going to take for the penny to drop between you and drugs," he said.

"I accept there might have been some event in your life that saw you think your life might improve by using drugs.

"I have not ever come across anyone in over 30 years of the criminal law where drugs have improved their lives.

"If you're going to be upset or feeling down about these things you're going to have to find some other way of dealing with it than calling your dealer and getting supplied with drugs."

Howlett was fined $1500 and a conviction was recorded.