Ormeau jeweller Desmond Scott Rennex, 57, pleads guilty to drug offences and possessing stun gun

A stressed-out southeast Queensland jeweller relapsed into his life of drugs and carrying around weapons because he was being driven to the wall by an ‘intimidating’ tax bill, a court has heard.

Ormeau jeweller Desmond Scott Rennex, 57, pleaded guilty in court today to possessing methylamphetamine, digital scales and a stun gun in Loganholme last year. He was ordered to perform 80 hours' community service. Picture: Alex Treacy

A GOLD Coast jeweller so stressed out by a $1.5 million tax bill racked up by himself and his wife of 30 years relapsed into his old life of “polysubstance” drug abuse and arming himself with weapons.

Ormeau man Desmond Scott Rennex, 57, a man with a long history of drug and weapons offences, was charged by police in Loganholme on October 5 last year after he was discovered in possession of a stun gun, a small amount of methylamphetamine, and three digital scales.

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Today, a court heard that when Rennex was arrested, he presented with a “shopfront certificate” – he was a “polysubstance drug addict” who had relapsed into his old ways due to the stress caused by an ongoing dispute with the Australian Taxation Office.

The figures are “intimidating”, the court heard: the ATO is seeking about $588,000 from Rennex and about $888,000 from his wife of 30 years. Defence lawyer Adam Guest emphasised the debt was disputed.

Magistrate Michael O’Driscoll advised that carried little weight before the court.

“Battles with the ATO tend to go a long time and we both know the ATO usually wins,” he said.

Beenleigh Court House and Kent Street. (AAP Image/Renae Droop)

Mr O’Driscoll was bewildered why Rennex was coming before the court with yet another weapons charge. Rennex has previous convictions for weapons charges in 2010, 2013 and 2016, including in the Brisbane Supreme Court in 2015 where he was given a 27-month jail sentence. He has drug convictions stretching back into the early-1980s.

“There’s no real explanation why there’s guns again,” Mr O’Driscoll said.

Mr Guest told the court his client’s stun gun was powered by two AAA batteries, was in its pouch and had never been used.

Rennex was ordered to perform 80 hours’ community service. The stun gun and the scales were confiscated.

Rennex is listed on his LinkedIn as a “jewelry consultant” at Divas Gold, which is registered at Ormeau.