Thomas Mcilwrath avoids jail for possession of drugs and knives in Moss Vale

A magistrate has slammed a teen’s illegal stash of magic mushrooms as a ‘recipe for absolute disaster’, warning it’s impossible to know the strength of illegal drugs.

A magistrate has slammed a teen’s illegal stash of magic mushrooms as a ‘recipe for absolute disaster’, warning it’s impossible to know the strength of illegal drugs.

Thomas Jacob Mcilwrath, 19, appeared in Moss Vale Local Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to two counts of possessing illegal drugs, three counts of having custody of a knife in a public place, and driving under the influence of drugs.

At 10.30am on July 14, the Moss Vale resident was caught by police with 70 grams of cannabis and 4.6 grams of Psilocybin ‘magic’ mushrooms. The court heard the cannabis, which was estimated to be worth a little over $600, was for personal use.

Mcilwrath’s lawyer Jeremy Wood told the court his client has been smoking large amounts of cannabis on a weekly basis but this was his first time buying magic mushrooms.

Thomas Jacob Mcilwrath has avoided jail after being caught with magic mushrooms and cannabis and knives in Moss Vale. Picture: Adelaide Lang

Magistrate Mark Douglass emphasised the risks of taking drugs. He told the court he personally has seen two friends admitted to psychiatric hospital as a consequence of consuming “mushies”. He said his friends had “never ever recovered” from their experience with the drug.

“Steer clear of all illicit drugs, but specifically in the case of mushrooms,” the magistrate said.

“You just don’t know how strong they are. It’s a recipe for absolute disaster.”

The court heard Mcilwrath was also charged with having three knives in his possession while walking down a public street, only two weeks after being arrested for drug possession.

On the afternoon of July 29, Mcilwrath was stopped by police on Amarina Avenue in Moss Vale after police allege he was in a violent domestic dispute with his partner. They found three knives on him, one of which was handmade.

The court heard two of the knives were cutting implements he used in his role as a factory worker, although he was scheduled for work that day and didn’t need to be carrying them.

The third weapon, labelled “egregious” by Mr Wood, was a homemade knife.

“The shiv was one that was made for him by a welder friend as a bit of a joke,” Mr Wood said.

Magistrate Douglass told Mcilwrath that people carrying knives are more likely to be the victims of violent crime.

“Knives are a dead loss,” he said.

“They don’t assist you, they don’t protect you.”

Thomas Jacob Mcilwrath has avoided jail after being caught with mushrooms, MDMA, cannabis and knives in Moss Vale. Picture: Adelaide Lang

The court heard Mcilwrath had shown remorse and contrition for his offending. Mr Wood told the court his client has had a difficult childhood and has experienced a lot of “heartbreak and suffering” in his short life, including a number of family deaths in a short period of time.

Mr Wood told the court his client has been attending rehabilitation for his drug issues since the offences. Magistrate Douglass acknowledged Mcilwrath had been through a “rough trot” in his young years and was turning his life around.

He sentenced the teen to a 12-month community corrections order, a six-month community corrections order and disqualified him from driving for six months.