Jesse Cork: Sunshine Coast ex-soldier guilty of cocaine bust

A Sunshine Coast man placed in a drunk tank for being a public nuisance was found to have a wallet brimming with cocaine.

A former soldier was given a ticket for public nuisance after a big night in Brisbane CBD before his Anzac Day outing got worse when his arrest uncovered a wallet brimming with cocaine.

Jesse Lee Cork, 26, lived at Stafford in Brisbane at the time of the offence but a court heard he had since moved in with his Sunshine Coast parents, who owned an earthmoving and water delivery business.

He pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court to one charge of possessing a commercial quantity of cocaine, defined as being more than 2g.

The court heard Cork came to police attention on Anzac Day this year when, about 8pm on Charlotte St in Brisbane’s CBD, he was issued a ticket for public nuisance and contravening a direction of police after an altercation with a security guard.

He was taken to the drunk tank for processing, the court heard, where his possessions, including his wallet, were tagged for storage.

Former soldier Jesse Leigh Cork, 26, leaves court. Picture: Alex Treacy

Analysis of the contents of the wallet revealed two clipseal bags containing a total of 3.04g of cocaine, including the weight of the bags.

Due to Cork’s intoxication, he could not be interviewed by police, but he subsequently admitted ownership of the drugs, the court heard.

It was submitted on behalf of Cork, who was born in Toowoomba and moved to Mackay with his family to complete his high-schooling, that he was not a regular drug user who had regrettably accepted an offer from a friend to participate.

The court heard Cork was medically discharged from the army after six years of service and was now employed with the family business.

Magistrate Rodney Madsen fined him $1500, with no conviction recorded.