Dale Selwyn Murphy sentenced at Gladstone for drug crimes
The life of a Central Queensland man who worked 32 years as a motor mechanic spiralled downhill when he started using meth at age 55. Now, he’s been caught driving the wrong way down the Bruce Hwy and waking up behind the wheel.
Police & Courts
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Dale Selwyn Murphy had lived a pretty normal life until he was 55 - then he started using meth and it changed everything.
He completed his schooling in Rockhampton in Year 10 and went on to work for the next 32 years as a motor mechanic for a number of different businesses.
Sadly in 2007, Murphy suffered a serious psychiatric illness which has plagued him ever since - along with Schizophrenia and depression.
But what really compounded Murphy’s problems and sent him spiralling downhill was when he started using illicit drugs after he was diagnosed with these conditions.
This backstory was heard in Gladstone Magistrates Court where Murphy, 63, appeared in custody and pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing dangerous drugs, and one count each of possessing drug items, assault police, obstruct police, attempting to escape lawful custody, driving without due care and attention, and disqualified driving.
The court heard Murphy was already on a suspended sentence for drug offending, having previously been dealt with in Rockhampton courts a number of times.
In relation to his latest offending, the Gladstone court heard that about 7.30pm on December 3 last year, police were doing patrols at Benaraby when they saw a van travelling on Awoonga Dam Road, near the intersection of the Bruce Highway.
“Police saw the van stop at the intersection for about 30 seconds - it didn’t enter the intersection even though there was no traffic oncoming,” police prosecutor Sergeant Merrilyn Hoskins said.
“Police got behind the van and they activated their police lights - after that, the van’s reversing lights came on, but the car still didn’t move.
“The vehicle then did a U-turn at the intersection - it entered the wrong side of the Bruce Highway before pulling over onto Awoonga Dam Road.”
Sgt Hoskins said when police spoke to Murphy, they could smell the scent of cannabis coming from the car, and Murphy told them he didn’t know where he was and he was asleep.
Checks revealed Murphy’s driver’s licence was court disqualified.
Police found a clip-seal bag containing cannabis in the driver’s side door and Murphy was also in possession of a small clip-seal bag containing meth and two used glass pipes.
“(Murphy) was quite confused when talking to police - he seemed to be annoyed that police had woken him up,” Sgt Hoskins said.
Murphy was arrested and taken to the watch-house.
In relation to the assault police, obstruct police and attempting to escape lawful custody offences, those happened at the watch-house in the early hours of the morning on December 7.
Murphy asked the watch-house keeper for some Panadol because he had a tooth ache.
When the officer opened the door to the cell, Murphy charged at him and attempted to push him backwards.
The officer grabbed Murphy and pushed him back into the cell.
The Gladstone court on February 28 heard that Murphy had four-page criminal and traffic histories.
Solicitor Rio Ramos said Murphy, a retired mechanic, suffered from a lot of physical ailments, he had Parkinson’s Disease, and he was now suitably medicated which was not the case at the time of the offending.
Prior to sentencing, Magistrate Mary Buchanan noted it was “sad” that Murphy had started using meth at the age of 55.
She activated the suspended sentence.
She sentenced Murphy to six months’ jail, declared 87 days’ pre-sentence custody as time already served, and fixed immediate parole.
Murphy was also disqualified from driving for two years.
Convictions were recorded.