Thanh Phuoc Doan, 28, sentenced for drug and assault offences

An Inala man described as the “black sheep of the family” has faced court again for drugs and assault offences.

An Inala man described as “the black sheep” in his family has been handed a prison sentence after pleading guilty to a string of charges including drug possession.

Thanh Phuoc Doan, 28, appeared in Richlands Magistrates Court via video link on Monday morning (June 6) where he pleaded guilty to 10 charges.

The court heard Doan had a lengthy criminal history despite growing up in a “good” family.

On February 12 Doan, who was on parole at the time, was caught with 4.4g of methamphetamine, the court was told.

Other offences on the same date included assaulting a police officer, contravening a police requirement, driving without a licence, obstructing a police officer, possessing restricted items, possessing a knife in a public place, buying or possessing restricted medicines or poisons and possessing dangerous drugs.

Doan’s lawyer said while the amount of methamphetamine was a lot, it most likely was only 3g due to low purity levels.

He said Doan, who had struggled with drug addiction for a long time, had not been charged with anything since 2019.

Thanh Phuoc Doan.

“He’s the black sheep of the family,” the lawyer said.

“He had a good upbringing. (He has) two siblings, one of them is a civil engineer and the other is in university.

“He’s struggled with drugs since 2012 and it’s taken over his life. He instructs that his family is very disappointed.”

The court heard Doan has previously worked casually as a tiler and concreter.

Magistrate Patrick Murphy ordered Doan serve a head sentence of 12 months for the drug possession offence.

Convictions were recorded for the restricted medicines charges and contravening the police direction, but he was not further punished.

Doan was sentenced to one month’s prison, to be served concurrently, for the remaining charges.

Doan was granted immediate parole release.