Cleveland painter, Jessica Leigh Hope, in court over knife, drug charges

A risky move at a Brisbane court by a bayside painter has led her to face a magistrate, all after police found her with a cocktail of drugs.

Jessica Leigh Hope outside Cleveland Magistrates Court.

A bayside painter has faced court after bringing a knife, hung around her neck, into the Brisbane Magistrates Court two months after she was caught with a cocktail of drugs and utensils.

Cleveland painter, Jessica Leigh Hope, 33, pleaded guilty in Cleveland Magistrates Court on November 29 to three counts of possessing drug utensils, three counts of possessing dangerous drugs, one count of possessing something used in the commission of a drug offence and one count of possessing a knife in a public place.

The court heard that on June 22 at Oyster Point Park in Cleveland, Hope was caught in her van with a cocktail of drugs in her possession.

“A search was conducted where they located a glass pipe,” the police prosecutor said.

“She said it was hers and she smoked meth.”

Police also located 5ml of GHB, a blister pack of diazepam and methamphetamine.

“She said it was vape juice,” the prosecutor said.

The court heard that on July 5 Hope was caught in possession of drug utensils in Cleveland.

“Police located the defendant at a unit complex, she was behind the wheel of a vehicle,” the police prosecutor said.

“There was a glass case and a glass pipe used for smoking meth.

“She also had clip seal bags next to that glass pipe.”

Just more than nine weeks later she was caught bringing a knife into Brisbane Magistrates Courthouse on August 15.

“Protection services doing security at Brisbane Magistrates Court located a small folding knife on the defendant, around 5cm,” The police prosecutor said.

“They found it attached to a lanyard around her neck.

“She says people she lives with steal from her and she keeps it for her safety.”

The police prosecutor said Hope has had numerous chances to stop her offending.

“There’s nothing the Cleveland community hasn’t done to help her,” the prosecutor said.

“She’s been sentenced by every court including the district court for drug offending.

“She’s walking around the community with a knife when she’s a drug user.

“It’s time for her to serve some imprisonment.”

Hope’s lawyer, Sarah Pascoe, said her client was seeking drug help.

“She accepts that she has an addiction,” Ms Pascoe said.

“She has been accepted into an intake with Lives Lived Well, so she has taken active steps.”

Magistrate Deborah Vasta said she was concerned with who Hope spent her time with.

“Who’s she hanging out with, being the cheer squad for, in Brisbane court?” Ms Vasta queried.

“You’re a drug addict who hangs out with other drug addicts.”

Hope was convicted and placed on an intensive corrective order for three months.

She was given a probation order of 18 months.

Convictions were recorded.