Disqualified driver caught leaving known drug house

A South Grafton woman, caught by police four times in four months for driving while disqualified, was busted driving from a house known for drug activity.

Court generic, Lady Justice statue

A SOUTH Grafton woman, caught driving while disqualified four times in four months earlier this year, was again busted behind the wheel by police when she was caught leaving a known drug house, a court has heard.

Tarhani Lee Pholi faced Grafton Local Court last week for sentencing after pleading guilty to a raft of charges, including four charges of driving while disqualified, possessing a prohibited drug and possessing a prohibited weapon without a permit.

According to court documents the 38-year-old had her licence disqualified in February this year until May 18, 2021, but was stopped by police behind the wheel four times in the four months since the initial disqualification.

Court documents revealed that on July 4 Pholi was granted bail on the condition she did not occupy the driver's seat of a motor vehicle.

The agreed facts state that on July 10 this year, police were patrolling Maxwell Ave, South Grafton when about 2.50pm they saw a vehicle leave a location known to police regarding drug activity.

Police followed the vehicle for a short time, which was travelling above the speed limit, and formed the opinion the vehicle was attempting to evade police by using relatively lesser known side streets.

Police stopped the vehicle on Hawthorne St and found Pholi in driver's seat, who told police she had gone to Coles to get food. The court documents indicate that the statement made police suspicious as the route Pholi was taking was not in the direction of the supermarket.

Police also observed the male passenger in the vehicle acting suspiciously and a search was conducted of the vehicle and occupants where a small black Urban Skinner push dagger and 11 strips of buprenorphine were discovered in Pholi's possession.

When questioned Pholi claimed she had just got her purse back that had been stolen and had no knowledge of buprenorphine, and the push dagger had been given to her by a friend.

In Grafton Local Court last week magistrate Kathy Crittenden sentenced Pholi to a 12-month intensive correction order, as well as a community correction order with 100 hours community service. Pholi was also disqualified from driving for 12 months and fined $350.

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