Supreme Court judge keeps addict in jail ‘to get help’

A MAN rushed to Toowoomba Hospital unconscious was found with 6.3g of methylamphetamine in his pocket.

Legalities of tying the knot.

A MAN rushed to Toowoomba Hospital unconscious was found with 6.3g of methylamphetamine in his pocket.

The Toowoomba Supreme Court heard a nurse preparing Nicholas Mervyn Hicks for treatment at the hospital had found a clip seal bag of crystals in his pocket and called police.

Due to his condition, police could not speak with him but he was pulled over while driving in Toowoomba two weeks later in October last year.

Crown prosecutor Shontelle Petrie told the court as Hicks got out of his car a glass "ice pipe" he had on him fell to the ground and smashed.

A subsequent police search of the car found two more pipes, a small amount of meth, a firearm under the driver's seat and a 12 gauge shotgun bullet in the driver's door, she said.

Hicks, 31, said the firearm was not his but he would take responsibility for all that was found in the vehicle.

Ms Petrie said the drug found at the hospital had not been analysed but the weight of 6.3g included the weight of the bag it was in and that the amount of actual methylamphetamine in the crystals would be less.

Defence barrister David Jones said his client accepted that the meth would be above the 2g schedule and pleaded guilty without the Crown having to have it analysed.

The court heard Hicks had endured "an horrific" childhood during which he had been introduced to meth at the age of 14 by his own meth-addicted mother.

Mr Jones said his client had made inquiries about entering a live-in drug rehabilitation centre but, being held in custody at the moment, he could not access those facilities until he was released.

Mr Jones said he and his instructing solicitor had made inquiries about live-in rehab centres but there appeared to be a three-month waiting list even if accepted.

Justice Peter Applegarth said he was reluctant to release Hicks on parole not knowing where he would be tomorrow.

"I don't think I'd be doing the right thing by you or the community if I let you out onto the streets today," Justice Applegarth told Hicks.

"You've got untreated needs, you need to get help while in custody."

Justice Applegarth sentenced Hicks to 18 months in jail but ordered he be released on parole in three months time on May 26.

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