Mackay man David Alexander Begg in court after meth bust

The man’s case is unusual. He suffered a brain injury more than a decade ago and he “thinks Barack Obama is still US President and Julia Gillard is Australia’s Prime Minister”.

David Alexander Begg leaves Mackay Courthouse on Friday, September 22, 2023. Photo: Toby Crockford.

A day after a Supreme Court Justice elected not to jail a disability pensioner caught with 20 grams of meth, the same man returned to court to face further drug offences.

His case is unusual. He suffered a brain injury which affects his ability to think and reason.

Mackay Supreme Court heard he was open about his drug use and said he stops using when knows he will be driving so he was not “a danger on the road”.

David Alexander Begg pleaded guilty to a string of charges on Thursday including possessing dangerous drugs, weapons and drug utensils.

They stemmed from two separate police raids on his North Mackay unit – the first on September 8, 2021 and the second on December 2, 2021.

During the first search, officers found a glass pipe, a small amount of cannabis, a flick knife, and a large clip seal bag on his bedside table containing 15 grams of meth.

The second uncovered another clip seal bag with five grams of meth inside.

The court heard the 49 year old had tried to take his own life in 2012 after his long-term girlfriend left and took her three children, who Begg treated like his own.

The suicide attempt caused his mild acquired brain injury. He then lost his job after failing a drug test and he has been on a disability support pension since 2014.

“He thinks Barack Obama is still running the United States and Julia Gillard is still our Prime Minister. So there are problems,” Justice Graeme Crow said on Thursday’s sentencing.

“But he’s smart enough to run his own household.”

David Alexander Begg leaves Mackay Courthouse on Friday. Photo: Toby Crockford.

Crown prosecutor Tiffany Lawrence said Begg’s medical report indicated he could live independently, look after himself, and even run a business.

She added that Begg had not addressed his drug use, but he co-operated with police.

Defence barrister Scott McLennan said Begg kept to himself, has never been violent while on drugs, and his stash is strictly for personal use.

The court heard Begg’s stepfather died last month and he has significantly reduced his drug use since.

Begg’s criminal history dated back to 2004 and included 19 court appearances, 37 offences, and 12 separate occasions of drug offending.

In sentencing, Justice Crow handed Begg a three-year jail term for his “great amount of methamphetamine”, but elected to give him immediate parole. He said he feared Begg would lose his home if he sent him to jail.

“I’m handing you the keys to your jail cell. If you perform well on parole, you won’t go to prison. If you don’t, you’ll lock yourself up – it’s as simple as that,” Justice Crow said.

On Friday Begg was back in the courthouse, this time in the Magistrates Court. He is charged with drug possession, breach of bail, possessing tainted property, and possessing drug utensils.

Most of these alleged offences occurred this year, the majority in May. Begg has pleaded guilty to some.

Defence lawyer Sean Gibbs, of Fisher Dore, said the possessing tainted property charge involved Begg’s money, suspected of being connected to his drugs which was initially believed to be a commercial operation.

But because the Supreme Court accepted on Thursday that Begg’s drugs were for personal use and there was no evidence he had ever supplied, Mr Gibbs was in discussion with the Director of Public Prosecution’s Office.

Begg’s outstanding charges were adjourned to October 9.