Ezekiel Albertus Thomas Courbois walks free from court for drug and gun offences

A Mount Gambier thug walked free from court after he participated in “drug swaps” with friends to fuel his insidious addiction.

A Mount Gambier thug walked free from court after he was caught with drugs and weapons while on home detention for domestic violence offending.

Ezekiel Albertus Thomas Courbois, 34, told police he participated in “drug swaps” with friends to fuel his insidious addiction.

During sentencing on Tuesday, the District Court heard police searched his Mount Gambier house in July 2022.

They found GHB, also known as fantasy, methamphetamine, a rifle and a variety of weapons, including knuckledusters, laser pointers, a flick knife and a pistol crossbow which he purchased off Wish.

“You said (the firearm) had been provided to you for safe keeping by a close friend … who shortly after putting that firearm into your possession passed away,” Judge Rauf Soulio said.

Ezekiel Albertus Thomas Courbois pleaded guilty to drug trafficking. Picture: Facebook

Courbois admitted that he often participated in “drug swaps” with friends but it hadn’t been for financial gain.

The court heard Courbois’ mainly abused GHB, which he started using in his teenage years.

“As is well recognised GHB is a dangerous drug and has caused physical and psychiatric harm to many who use it,” Judge Soulio said.

Courbois pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including possessing a firearm, prohibited weapons and possessing a drug to supply.

The court heard Courbois was serving a home detention at the time of the offending for serious domestic violence offences, including unlawfully choking, suffocating or strangling another.

Courbois headbutted his victim in the face in the 2019 attack, leaving her with a bleeding lip before dragging her by the legs off the bed and onto the floor.

The victim’s next memory is being outside, lying on her back in the rocks near the garage, again with Courbois’ forearm against her throat before escaping to a neighbour’s house and grabbing knives to protect herself.

Judge Geraldine Davison sentenced Courbois to one year, seven months and seven days with a non-parole of eight months.

She ordered him to serve it on home detention, which he ended up serving in jail after pleading guilty to the new offending.

The court heard Courbois was employed at a dairy farm and shared custody of his young daughter was a motivating factor for him.

On Thursday, Judge Soulio one year and three month, with a non-parole period of six months.

However, due to Courbois’ rehabilitation efforts for his “insidious drug addiction” and strong work ethic, the sentence was suspended on a $1000, 18 month good behaviour bond.

Mr Courbois pleaded guilty to possessing a drug to supply

Originally published as Ezekiel Albertus Thomas Courbois walks free from court for drug and gun offences