Drug user escapes conviction after Goomboorian raid

Police seized cocaine, a cannabis crop and drug utensils during the search

General photograph of Queensland Police and Crime Stoppers tape at crime scene, Sunday, March 8, 2020 (AAP Image/Richard Walker)

A MAN has escaped conviction after a police raid uncovered cocaine, grow tents and cannabis crops at a Goomboorian property in March this year.

Wade Peter Robinson faced Gympie Magistrate Court yesterday morning pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis, a small amount of cocaine, and drug utensils.

On March 11 police from the major and organised crime squad executed a search warrant to raid the man’s Goomboorian residence, where they found the drugs and utensils.

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Police found a small amount of cocaine, 400g of cannabis, three waterpipes used to smoke a dangerous drug and three grinders.

They also discovered three grow tents on the property, two containing five cannabis plants each and one for drying cannabis cuttings.

The court heard that Mr Robinson was not home at the time of the raid, but turned himself into police immediately after hearing about the search.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Lisa Manns said Mr Robinson was forthcoming and cooperative with police and made full admissions to the charges.

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Defence lawyer Chris Anderson told the court Mr Robinson, who’s in his early 30s, suffered a back injury around 10 years ago, and had been using the cannabis for both medicinal and recreational purposes.

Mr Anderson said the man’s cocaine use was “exceedingly rare” and the prosecution accepted that the cocaine and cannabis were for personal use with no commercial intentions.

Taking into account Mr Robinson had no previous convictions, Magistrate Chris Callaghan fined the man $500 and no conviction was recorded.

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