Rabbits Eat Lettuce attendees face Murgon court for drugs, traffic charges
Dozens of people charged with drug or traffic offences during a controversial South Burnett music and arts festival have faced court for the first time.
Police & Courts
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The dozens of men and women charged with drug or traffic offences during the Rabbits Eat Lettuce festival in April had their first court appearances at a South Burnett courthouse this week.
Police charged 29 people with 50 offences in targeted police operations during the music and arts festival held over the Easter long weekend this year at a private property in Stonelands.
Police conducted more than 1760 random breath tests and 260 random drug tests during Operation Xray Bandelier, and seized a range of drugs, drug utensils and cash.
About 5000 people were expected to attend the four-day event which was originally planned to be held at the Cherrabah Resort near Warwick.
However, the festival was moved to the South Burnett after the temporary event permit was rejected by the Southern Downs Regional Council just two months out from the event.
The announcement spurred heated discussion on social media in the weeks before the festival.
The lack of public consultation angered some neighbours to the Crystal Springs cattle property, while other South Burnett residents were supportive of the event and excited for the potential business it could bring to the region.
The long list of festival goers who were charged with drug or traffic offences were due to appear in Murgon Magistrates Court on Tuesday, June 24.
The majority of defendants did not appear in court, with several represented by lawyers who dialled in by phone.
Those who did appear ranged in age and appearance, with some dressed in suits and sporting a clean cut look, while others were wearing more casual clothes and wore their hair in dreadlocks.
Rodrigo Pestana Dos Santos, 33, from the Gold Coast pleaded guilty to one count of driving with cannabis in his system.
He was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.
Convictions were recorded.
Thomas Richard Yates, a 33-year-old from Mooloolaba, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing dangerous drugs after police found 0.02g of cocaine in his possession when they searched his car.
The court heard his father, who supported him in the courtroom, was a retired police officer from the Sunshine Coast.
He was fined $500 and no conviction was recorded.
Cameron Inglis, a 31-year-old Gold Coast man, said he was “extremely ashamed and embarrassed” over the incident and pleaded guilty to one count of driving with MDMA and cocaine in his system.
He was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month, with no conviction recorded.
Ashley Michael Blake, 48, from the South Burnett pleaded guilty to driving with MDMA and cannabis in his system.
He was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for one month.
Convictions were recorded.
Everybody appearing at Kingaroy Magistrates Court, Friday, June 27
Here is a list of matters listed at Kingaroy Magistrates Court on Friday.
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