Lee Stephen Rice, 36, had over five grams of meth in his possession, along with seven mobile phones suspected of being stolen

A drug user with a five page criminal record has been freed by the Supreme Court after being busted with drugs and stolen items, despite being given immediate parole releases in the past.

A drug user who had been given immediate parole releases in the past was given another immediate parole release by the Supreme Court for possessing more than five grams of methamphetamines and stolen solar panels.

Lee Stephen Rice, 36, pleaded guilty in the Rockhampton court on November 23 to one count each of possessing a dangerous drug in excess of two grams, possess dangerous drugs, possess a thing gained in the commission of a crime, possess a restricted drug, possess drug pipes, possess property suspected of being stolen, receiving tainted property and possessing tainted property.

Police executed a search warrant at Rice’s then Port Curtis residence on March 18, 2020.

They found two quantities of crystal meth with one wrapped in cling wrap and then black tape. Police used a handheld device to identify it containing the illicit substance.

The meth weighed 4.10g pure in 5.42g of substance.

Rice told police he used 0.5g meth per day.

Police also found seven mobile phones in the lounge room which were suspected as being stolen, along with three stolen solar panels which had been taken from a Parkhurst address.

They found $4330 cash in his wallet but only $530 was contributed to the possess a thing gained in the commission of a crime charge as Rice, a tow truck business operator, proved the rest was from the sale 0f a motor vehicle.

Eight blister packs of 20ml and 50ml doses of morphine, two glass pipes and two different types of restricted drugs were also located.

Rice, who has a five-page criminal record, was on a suspended sentence at the time of this offending.

His drug offending started in 2003 and was convicted of supplying drugs in a group of 18 charges in January 2006.

It was the 10th time he was before courts for drug offences in which he was sentenced to nine months’ prison and suspended for three years that he breached when he was busted for the 2020 crimes.

Justice Graeme Crow said despite Rice’s criminal record, which included three prior immediate releases on parole sentences, he had a very positive parole report which included being in stable accommodation and reporting as directed.

Defence barrister Scott Lynch said his client, who had owned and operated his own tow truck business for the past four years, had the full-time care of his young daughter.

He said Rice lived 45 minutes out of Rockhampton at Glendale and drove his daughter to school every day.

Justice Crow sentenced Rice to two years prison with immediate parole release.