Ethan Ellison has pleaded guilty to drug possession and other offences after police found more than four grams of ice in his shoe

A man caught with ice has completed a rehabilitation program and says he is now clean of the drug

Ethan Ellison has been handed a suspended jail term after admitting to drug charges. The court heard he has since taken significant steps towards rehabilitation.

An Ipswich court has heard a man caught with an ice stash hidden in his shoe had taken steps to shake his drug addiction prior to facing sentence this week.

Ethan Ellison was said to have taken part in the Court Link program designed to help defendants tackle the issues that often underlie their offending.

After completing the program with positive results, Ethan Ernest Ellison, 27, from Bundamba, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates Court to eight charges including possession of the drug ice; driving when drug positive; three charges of stealing; possession of a knife; possession of property suspected of being used in a drug offence; and failing to appear at court.

Prosecutor Sergeant Molinaro said Ellison was found with 4.38 grams of ice that was made up of 3.349 grams of pure methylamphetamine, with the purity analysed at between 75-77.5 per cent.

The court heard Ellison was pulled over in his car. He admitted to having the drug in his shoe, and the ice inside clip seal bags fell out when he removed the shoe.

He also handed over a set of electronic scales and a cut-down straw that had been hidden in his clothing.

Sgt Molinaro said ice was “an absolute scourge” in the community.

She said it was to Ellison’s credit that he took part in the Court Link program although his efforts did not absolve him.

The court heard Ellison had seven pages of criminal history including drugs, stealing and unlawful use of motor vehicles, and previously received jail orders.

The three stealing charges before the court involved a $40 fuel drive off at Woodridge last June, a $25 fuel drive-off at Churchill, and his failed attempt to steal $249 worth of power tools from a hardware store at Kenmore.

He walked out via a fire door but Sgt Molinaro said Mitre 10 store staff followed and confronted Ellison in the car park where he handed back the power tools.

Defence lawyer Ms Fuller said Ellison put a lot of effort into his rehabilitation.

“He had a positive engagement with the Court Link program. He was commended as being persistent and honest,” Ms Fuller said.

She said he was a father of one, working as a roofer after growing up in Ipswich.

He had been able to stay clean since completing the program.

Magistrate Rob Turra said it was clear Ellison had made significant steps but he also had significant criminal history.

He said no commerciality was alleged regarding the quantity of the drug.

Ellison was sentenced to a 12-month jail term, fully suspended for 18 months.

Originally published as Ethan Ellison has pleaded guilty to drug possession and other offences after police found more than four grams of ice in his shoe