Young Gatton man sentenced over misguided self-medication

A 21-year-old Gatton man has been sentenced in an Ipswich court after police seized a large quantity of drugs from his home in November last year.

Liam Jackson Tillack, 21. Picture: Facebook/Liam Tillack

A 21-year-old Gatton man has been sentenced in an Ipswich court after police seized a large quantity of cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids from his home in November last year.

Liam Jackson Tillack was sentenced to 12 months probation, and avoided having a conviction recorded when he appeared in court this week.

Crown prosecutor Robyn Schermer said that on November 5 last year, police executed a search warrant at Tillack’s home, where they found 857g of cannabis, split across six clip-seal bags.

Additionally, he was found to have several vials of synthetic cannabinoids, along with digital scales and further small plastic baggies.

The court heard that Tillack admitted to purchasing the cannabis for personal use as well as to resell, however he was not charged with supplying.

Tillack’s lawyer, Scott Neaves said his client suffered from anxiety and depression, as well as suspected though not yet diagnosed ADHD, and self-medicated using cannabis.

“When he was about 15, his mum and dad broke up and life was not particularly easy for him, he took that break-up badly,” Mr Neaves said.

“ … he then began to struggle in terms of anxiety and depression which led to him dropping out of school at the beginning of Year 12 and started hanging out with some of the wrong people.”

He also stated that since Tillack was charged, he had been prescribed cannabis for medical use.

“He says that this (the charge) was certainly a wake up call, such that he sought medical assistance in terms of his anxiety and depression and he’s now in fact prescribed medicinal cannabis in the form that is appropriate to treat his needs.”

Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren recognised Tillack’s steps toward rehabilitation, including seeking medical treatment and his newly gained employment at a local abattoir.

Tillack’s early plea of guilty and his candour with police played a part in Judge Horneman-Wren’s light sentencing, though he warned of the dangers of self-medicating with cannabis.

“Resorting to using cannabis itself in an unregulated way is no way to treat that particular problem. Its not a safe drug, particularly for young men,” he said.

“There is a lot of science around paranoia that is cannabis induced.”