Former Myer model Jed Texas turned to drugs after two violent knife crime attacks
Two terrifying crimes led a former Myer model to drugs and ultimately facing 20 years in a Bali prison, a court has heard.
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Two terrifying encounters with violent knife crimes – including the murder of a friend in London – led former Myer model Jed Texas to become depressed and to self-medicate with marijuana, a Bali court has been told.
Texas appeared in Denpasar District Court yesterday by video link from Bali’s toughest jail, Kerobokan, charged with trafficking and possession of narcotics.
He faces decades in prison if he is found guilty of trafficking and possession of 85.15 grams of marijuana, which police accused him of holding in his villa in the up-market area of Canggu.
The prison’s medical officers’ Dr Pande Ngurah Sura Oka and Dr Anak Agung Gede Hartawan, told the court that Texas had been prescribed antidepressants and sedatives since arriving at Kerobokan in April.
“At the age of 16, he experienced an incident where his friend was stabbed by a drunken stranger. He was the one who helped and held his friend’s body until he died. With this incident, he became increasingly depressed, frightened, sometimes cried and could not sleep,” Dr Hartawan told the court.
The doctor reported that Texas smoked marijuana in rapidly increasing amounts in an attempt to manage his mental health.
“As a model, Texas moved to America, Australia and Bali. Then last year in Bali he was stabbed by a drunk and then started to use more marijuana,” Dr Hartawan said.
The model told the doctor that he had stocked the 85.15 grams of cannabis for his own use.
“He had to have stock so he didn’t get confused when it ran out. His body has a strong tolerance (to the drug),” Dr Hartawan said.
Dr Oka said he believes that Texas is a good candidate for rehabilitation.
“He has used marijuana since he was young. He uses five grams of marijuana regularly – even up to 10 grams daily. He uses it by rolling it like a cigarette to smoke. The marijuana used is a very high dose. The choice must be for his rehabilitation,” Dr Oka said.
Indonesia has some of the world’s harshest anti-drugs laws, however, when addiction can be established the judicial system often takes a lenient view.
Texas – who once reportedly partied with legendary models such as Kate Moss – is charged with two narcotics indictments – trafficking which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years and possession which attracts 12 years in jail. Potential fines could be as high as $1.6 million.
Last week, the court saw images of the drugs divided up into nine plastic small bags as well as an electronic scale and pouch loaded with smaller plastic bags.
The court heard the former model fled into the bathroom when police raided his villa in April.
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Police officer Mr Anak Agung Ketut Sugawirawan told the court they had received a tip-off that a foreigner was using narcotics in the villa.
“Then on April 14 we went to the villa and I saw the defendant (Texas) running to the bathroom. His face looked scared,” he said.
“We then searched the bathroom and found the packages of marijuana thrown into the closet (toilet).”
Texas has told the court that the marijuana was his but the scales that were also discovered had nothing to do with the narcotics.
He said he bought the scales for $60 from an unknown man.
Texas, who has been diagnosed with depression and drug dependency, did not give testimony due to ill health.
Last month the model was removed from the “mainboard” of top Australian modelling agency Chic Management where he had been among the showcased talent.
Texas – formerly Jed Higgins of North London – had been tipped as the next Marlon Brando when he was discovered as a teenager.
He was snapped up by the world’s leading agency Elite Management, modelling for iconic brands such as Adidas, Versace, Burberry and Vivienne Westwood.
He moved to Australia in 2015 where he worked for the Aussie retail giant Myer featuring in the company’s fashion spreads and appearing on the cover of Men’s Health magazine.
During his years in Australia, his popularity waned and he briefly took up food and lifestyle blogging with Models. Taste – a classic Insta-feed of endless fancy food in attractive locations.
The trial continues.