Possum trapper Brenton Robert Martin caught with ‘drug cocktail’ after music festival

A wildlife relocator has been sentenced after police found a cocktail of drugs in his system stemming from a day out at a popular music festival.

Brenton Robert Martin leaving the Redcliffe Magistrates Court on June 19, 2024.

A Redcliffe court has heard how a self-employed possum trapper was caught by police with a drug cocktail in his system after a popular music festival.

Brenton Robert Martin, 36, then failed to appear in court.

Martin finally showed up at Redcliffe Magistrate Court on June 19, 2024, where he pleaded guilty to charges of failure to appear in accordance with an undertaking and driving with drugs present in system.

The court heard that on April 1 police pulled Martin over for roadside breath and saliva testing as he was leaving the Rabbits Eat Lettuce music festival in Elbow Valley near Warwick.

Police prosecutor Mick Godfrey told the court Martin returned a positive reading for cannabis, cocaine and MDMA.

Brenton Robert Martin leaving the Redcliffe Magistrates Court on June 19, 2024.

“He made no admissions to police of recent drug use and further said he had no emergent reason for driving,” Mr Godfrey said.

“He was served with a notice to appear to attend court on May 16 at Warwick.

“On that day he did attend court and was released on a bail undertaking to appear on June 10, 2024.

“On that day he failed to attend and a warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest.

“On June 17, two days ago, the defendant attended Redcliffe Police Station and surrendered himself, stating he had missed a call from a judge.”

His lawyer, Andrew Stewart, said Martin missed a call from a magistrate about his June 17 appearance and that he was a self-employed possum trapper.

“He’d been to a party sometime before the incident,” Mr Stewart said.

“There’s no suggestion that he drove unsafely.

“He has nothing of a similar nature in his history and he has one previous entry for a drug offence.”

Magistrate Mark Bucknall remarked that it was a lot of drugs in Martin’s system.

“So he’s got cocaine, cannabis and MDMA, he’s got a cocktail,” Mr Bucknall said.

He fined Martin $900 and disqualified him from driving for three months. Convictions were recorded.