Kolbe James Langley Butler pleads guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to 51 charges

An aspiring engineer, whose life “spiralled out of control” after using methamphetamine to help him concentrate in university, has pleaded guilty to 51 charges.

A young Central Queensland man, whose life “spiralled out of control” after using methamphetamine to help him concentrate in university, has pleaded guilty to 51 charges.

Kolbe James Langley Butler, 27, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on November 1 to 51 charges.

The charges included numerous counts of breaching bail conditions, drug related offences, fraud, stealing, and traffic offences.

Police prosecutor Stacey Bain read the facts of the charges to the fact, which detailed that Butler was found in possession of dangerous drugs and drug paraphernalia on multiple occasions between 2019 and 2021.

Kolbe James Langley Butler, 27, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on November 1 to 51 charges.

Butler was found with 3.05g of meth, 1.15g of meth, 0.1g of meth, and 1g of marijuana on separate dates.

On separate dates in 2020 and 2021, Butler stole a shirt worth $39.95, tyres, a handheld scanning device from Kmart, two number plates, a traffic cone, and two room keys from the Heritage Hotel.

Butler entered a vacant room at the Hampton Villa Motel in Rockhampton on April 11, 2020 and wrote on a mirror, “We know what you did,” with a list of rules and a mobile phone number.

Police were forced to arm themselves with a taser on a date between April 28 and May 1, 2020 due to Butler’s erratic behaviour and fears the syringe he was holding would be used as a weapon.

Butler eventually complied with police’s directions to drop the syringe.

A member of the public reported his Commonwealth debit card was lost on December 2, 2020 and that multiple payments had been made.

Ms Bain said it was revealed Butler had made more than $150 worth of purchases using the card.

That same day, Butler asked to borrow a man’s mobile phone at the Ascot Hotel to make a call.

The man later saw two unauthorised transactions from his ANZ bank account in the amounts of $955 and $1000.

Kolbe James Langley Butler.

Butler also took $94.55 from a person who had just won the money in the gaming room at the Oxford Hotel on April 1, 2021.

The court heard Butler was sentenced to two years prison in the Rockhampton Supreme Court on September 9 for possessing a dangerous drug in excess of two grams.

On April 30, 2020 Butler was found in possession of 20.924 grams of meth concealed in freezer bags in a sharps container.

Defence lawyer Grant Cagney said his client grew up on a farm in Banana and attended St Brendan’s College in Yeppoon before studying for an engineering degree in university, where he was introduced to meth.

Mr Cagney said his client used the drug to help with “concentration and energy”.

He said his client dropped out of university and got an apprenticeship with Ergon Energy, which only lasted three years due to his drug struggles.

He said his client had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and mental and behavioural disorders due to the use of stimulants.

“He was suffering from bipolar disorder and using illicit substances,” he said.

Kolbe James Langley Butler.

He said his client was embarrassed.

“He has no recollection of so many of these offences due to the condition he found himself in,” he said.

“He was not taking his medication, using illicit substances, and spiralling out of control.”

He said after his client was released from custody, he would receive support through Bridges Health and Community Care mental health service.

“He is chasing this assistance, he doesn’t want to go back to this,” he said.

“This drug has clearly taken a large toll on his life.”

Magistrate Cameron Press sentenced Butler to eight months prison with immediate parole and declared 193 days presentence custody.

Butler was also disqualified from driving for four years and one month and ordered to pay $39.95 restitution.

All property was forfeited to the Crown.

FULL CHARGES

• 4 x possessing dangerous drugs
• 6 x fraud
• 1 x possession of a knife in a public place
• 7 x stealing
• 4 x contravene direction or requirement of police
• 2 x fail to properly dispose of needle or syringe
• 1 x enter premises and commit indictable offence
• 1 x unauthorised dealing with shop goods
• 12 x breach of bail condition
• 2 x fail to take reasonable care and precautions in respect of syringe or needle
• 1 x failure to appear in accordance with undertaking
• 1 x not being endorsed to possess restricted drug
• 2 x obstruct police officer
• 1 x possess utensils or pipes for use
• 2 x driving without a licence disqualified by a court order
• 1 x fail to comply with requirement to stop private vehicle
• 1 x unlawfully possess a relevant substance or thing
• 1 x possess utensils or pipes that had been used
• 1 x driving without a driver’s licence repeat offender