Helen Outerbridge: Elderly Memerambi woman faces court for 23 year old drug charge

A woman was hauled before the Kingaroy court after charges from decades ago were unearthed when she tried to apply for a driver’s licence. Here’s what happened:

Simply applying for a driver’s licence triggered a series of events that lead a senior woman being hauled before the courts for something that happened more than two decades ago.

Helen Outerbridge, 64, found herself in the Kingaroy Magistrates Court on Thursday and facing drug charges from 23 years ago.

Lawyer Mark Werner told the court Outerbridge, who has no criminal record, fled to the Gold Coast from a domestic violence situation in 1999.

Mr Werner said the woman, then in her 40s, was struggling with her mental health at the time due issues over custody of her child.

While she was prescribed medications, she said they left her feeling like “a zombie” and she used marijuana instead.

The manager of the complex she lived in found a tin and jar of marijuana during an inspection and it was reported to police.

Officers spoke to Outerbridge who said she smoked the drug with her flatmate, and she was issued a notice to appear in court.

Mr Werner said she moved back to Lismore and due to the stresses of her situation “forgot all about” the charges.

Now in her 60s, she moved to the Memerambi area where she has purchased a house, and applied for a driver’s licence.

Getting the licence triggered a warrant that had sat stagnant for more than 20 years.

Mr Werner noted the amounts of marijuana listed would have qualified for a drug diversion had the program existed at the time.

He submitted a good behaviour bond would be sufficient, noting he was unable to suggest to the court the charge be “thrown out”.

Magistrate Andrew Sinclair didn’t think that was an appropriate penalty.

“I’m not going to put anyone on a good behaviour bond who’s been of good behaviour for 20 years,” he said.

Outerbridge was convicted and not further punished, with no conviction recorded.