Hayden Kotlar found with drug related items in underwear

When police pulled a Gladstone region man over for a random breath test and licence check, it was a stash of drug items hidden in his underpants that ended in his arrest.

Gladstone Courthouse.

When police pulled a Gladstone region man over for a random breath test and licence check, it was a stash of drug items hidden in his underpants that ended in his arrest.

Hayden Robert Kotlar, 29, pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court recently to one count each of possess utensils or pipes that had been used and possess property suspected having been used in connection with the commission of a drug offence.

Police Prosecutor Police Sergeant Merrilyn Hoskins told the court police conducting mobile patrols just before 5pm on July 16, 2022 at Tannum Sands intercepted the car Kotlar’s was driving for an RBT and licence check.

She said when police spoke to Kotlar, he appeared nervous and fidgety and was detained.

The court heard a pat down search was conducted and officers found a small black drawstring bag in his underpants.

Kotlar was reluctant to give the item to police so they took it from him and continued their search.

He told police the bag would contain a set of digital scales and cash.

Police found the scaled and cash, as well as three clip seals bags with a small amount of meth residue.

“He said that he got the digital scales and the gear last night for the first time in a long time,” Sgt Hoskins said.

“He wanted to make sure he wasn’t being ripped off, which is why he had the scales.

“The reason he said he had the bags was to weigh up the ice, put two points in each bag so as not to guzzle it all at once, but to have it out every couple of hours.”

The court heard Kotlar had five days left on a parole period for previous drug-related convictions when he was busted.

Defence solicitor Stacey O’Gorman, of Macdonald and Michel Lawyers, told the court Kotlar was currently employed full time and had a history of drug use.

“He instructs me that a couple of days before this offence he drove to the pub after work and ran into someone he used to use drugs with,” Ms O’Gorman said.

“They had a chat and he was talking about how he was trying to move on with his life and the person invited him back to his house for another drink and at the house offered him drugs.

“He initially said no but the drugs were being used in front of him, temptation got the better of him, and he relapsed and that resulted in him purchasing more drugs at a later time.”

Ms O’Gorman said Kotlar had sought counselling to prevent further relapses and temptation and made efforts to avoid people mixed up in the drug scene.

Magistrate Edwina Rowan sentenced Kotlar to one month imprisonment wholly suspended for six months for each charge, to be served concurrently. She ordered the items seized by police be forfeited to the Crown.

Convictions were recorded.