Timothy Patrick Giles pleads guilty at Coffs Harbour court to drug supply, possession

A taxi driver told police he used cannabis to manage a chronic back condition, but officers suspected otherwise after searching his cab. See what they found.

Coffs Harbour Local Court heard Timothy Patrick Giles used cannabis to manage chronic lower back pain, but some text messages on his phone proved troubling.

A Coffs Coast man who said he used cannabis to manage a lingering medical condition was brought undone when police saw text messages on his phone.

Timothy Patrick Giles, 60, pleaded guilty to prohibited drug supply and possession when he appeared at Coffs Harbour Local Court on Wednesday.

Police facts state they received a report a Coffs cabbie named ‘Tim’ had “drugs on-board including cannabis” and was “offering it to passengers to buy”.

Just before midnight on June 17, officers spotted the taxi on Hogbin Dr and followed it for quite some time before pulling it over outside John Paul College.

They asked Giles if they had his permission to search the vehicle, to which he replied “not really”.

Text messages received on Giles’ phone were read by police after he gave them the pin code to unlock the device. File picture: Istock

But look they did, finding five bags of cannabis leaf on the floor of the driver’s side. They also found a black bag containing a sum of cash - and in a side-zipper pocket, a further bag of cannabis leaf.

All up the cannabis came in at 115 grams - three 30g bags, two 10g and one 5g.

The Lowanna man said the cannabis was for his personal use.

After providing police with the pin code to his phone, officers found a number of received text messages, including “If I buy a Q a week would you keep it at 70 next time”, and “I’ll meet up with (sic) in town I’ll bring scales”.

Giles’ lawyer Christopher Huxley told the court his client used cannabis to cope with chronic back pain, and “since these events he’s been dismissed from his work”.

Based on the evidence before him, magistrate Peter Barnett said “I don’t think he qualifies as the drug lord of Coffs Harbour”.

On a charge of supply prohibited drug less than small quantity, Giles was convicted and sentenced to a 14-month community correction order.

He was convicted and fined $600 on the possession charge.