Meth mum Lilainia Lee Hughes’ drugged P-plate drive revealed in court
A court has heard how a Logan mother of seven who was “trying her best” drove with meth in her saliva while on a P-plate.
Police & Courts
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An Ipswich magistrate has encouraged a 43-year-old mum of seven to “get on top of her drug addiction” after she was found driving with meth in her saliva on a provisional licence.
Logan resident Lilainia Lee Hughes pleaded guilty to 10 charges in Ipswich Magistrate’s Court on August 19, including two counts of possessing dangerous drugs, driving without a licence, driving with a relevant drug in her system, two counts of contravening a direction or requirement of police, three counts of failing to appear in accordance with undertaking and one breach of bail.
The court heard Hughes was caught driving with meth in her saliva while on a provisional licence on September 22, 2020.
On the same occasion, she was further found in possession of 0.2g of cannabis and 0.32g of methamphetamine.
Hughes later drove while her licence was suspended in November 2021, and failed to surrender into custody at Beenleigh Magistrate’s Court on October 26, 2021.
She was eventually arrested under a warrant.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Nick Turnbull said Hughes’s drug addiction issues “seem(ed) to be the heart of the offending”.
Defence lawyer Renee Smith said Hughes was the mother of seven children and had suffered significant loss throughout her life, including the death of her fiance and one of her children.
Ms Smith said Hughes had started using amphetamines in the early 2000s to cope with the loss of her daughter, and said she was not now using drugs.
“She’s trying her best to stay on the right track so she can remain with her children,” she said.
Magistrate Kathleen Payne told Hughes: “You need to get on top of your drug addiction to the sake of your children.”
Hughes was sentenced to 18 months’ probation, disqualified from obtaining or holding a licence for a total of 11 months, and fined a total of $800.
Convictions were recorded.
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