Warwick drug offenders sentenced in court named - full list

From a Warwick woman busted with a ready-to-use syringe to a drug driver caught with a weapon stashed in his car, these are the residents recently sentenced for drug offences in court. FULL LIST HERE:

A Warwick woman busted with a loaded meth syringe in her handbag and warned she would be risking her life if she didn’t soon kick her long-running drug habit was just one of the residents recently sentenced for drug offences.

Diane Elise Syrch was at a Lyons St home when police raided it on December 6 last year, with officers uncovering 0.01g of meth mixed with water in a syringe ready to be used.

Warwick Magistrates Court was told the 36-year-old was also found with another two used needles in her handbag.

Defence lawyer Amber Acreman said her client had battled a significant drug addiction for many years and had been trying to focus on her rehabilitation until a relapse in March last year.

“Addiction is quite a difficult beast, and it can often be one step forward and two steps back,” she said.

“She’s been experiencing some significant stress since her partner was taken into custody in March of last year, and that’s had an impact on some of her addictions.”

Magistrate Julian Noud warned Syrch she would face a “pretty sad” outcome if she did not focus on getting clean.

“If you don’t get on top of it by the time you hit your late thirties, you just end up having a shortened life and you won’t have a full life,” he said.

Syrch pleaded guilty to one count each of possessing dangerous drugs and possessing an item used in connection with a dangerous drug.

She was convicted and fined $450.

A young Warwick man earned a date with the magistrate after being nabbed behind the wheel with drugs in his system and a stash of paraphernalia in his car.

Angus Alexander Dendle was pulled over by police in December last year, where he tested positive to meth in his system.

Officers searched the 21-year-old’s car and found a sunglasses case containing a pipe with drug residue, scales, and a blue straw.

Acting magistrate Andrew Cridland urged Dendle to wake up and stop using drugs before it cost him his employment as a butcher and future opportunities.

“It’s time you wake up to what you’re doing with your life and take some action. It’s time to leave drugs alone,” he said.

Dendle pleaded guilty to one count each of drug driving and possessing drug utensils.

He was placed on a good behaviour bond for four months, fined $400, and disqualified from driving for three months.

He was also ordered to complete a drug diversion.

A Warwick serial drug offender has claimed she only resorted to illegal marijuana because she could not afford her legal prescription for the drug.

Terri Joy Boswell was at a Lyons St home in December last year when police raided the house, finding her in possession of 3g to 4g of marijuana along with a bong and grinder.

Defence lawyer Amber Acreman told the Warwick court the 46-year-old had previously been addicted to drugs far heavier than marijuana, with her substance abuse stemming from past trauma and mental health issues.

She said Boswell and her family had endured a difficult few years and had turned to marijuana to cope.

“She’s got a prescription that’s been at the pharmacy over the past couple of months, but the cost of that is so prohibitive that she has resorted to other means that she knows she shouldn’t,” Ms Acreman said.

“She broke down in tears in the conference room and sad it’s so shameful and so stupid that she is arrested and charged, and has resorted to using this substance illegally because she cannot afford to pay for her prescription to do it legally.”

Boswell pleaded guilty to one count each of possessing dangerous drugs and possessing drug utensils.

She was convicted and fined $350.

A drug driver who was busted hiding a homemade taser in his vehicle has faced the Warwick court on a stack of charges.

Michael John Karalius was nabbed by police on Wood St in November last year, telling police he had recently used both marijuana and meth after testing positive to the drugs in his system.

Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa said officers then searched the 52-year-old’s car and uncovered 29g of marijuana, a glass pipe, and a homemade taser underneath the driver’s seat.

“He said he made it after watching videos on the internet and wanted it for self-protection,” Sergeant de Lissa said.

Defence lawyer Clare Hine said Karalius conceded the drugs were for his personal use, but claimed he instead used the taser weapon largely for prodding cattle on his property.

Karalius pleaded guilty to one count each of possessing dangerous drugs and drug utensils, drug driving, and unlawful possession of a Category D/H/R weapon.

He was convicted and fined $1200, and also disqualified from driving for one month.

A Warwick father and repeat drug offender has been told he could soon face time behind bars after being brought back before the courts for another drug-related crime.

Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa said Luke Kevin Nolan was a passenger in a car pulled over by police on December 1 last year, where he began arguing with officers and appeared to be under the influence of a substance.

The 35-year-old was soon searched by officers and found to be carrying a used glass pipe in his pocket.

Defence lawyer Clare Hine said the father of two had long struggled with drug addiction and more recently suffered an acquired brain injury in a car crash.

Magistrate Andrew Cridland told the Warwick man his largely drug-related criminal history meant he could soon be looking at jail time if he continued to reoffend.

Nolan pleaded guilty to one count of possessing drug utensils. He was convicted and fined $600.