Queanbeyan landscaper Christopher Matthews sentenced for drug driving

A man caught driving with drugs in his system was allowed to drive home by police after he was stopped, a court has heard.

A Queanbeyan tradie has been sentenced in the ACT Magistrates Court for Drug driving.

A man who was caught driving with meth in his system has had his offending described as “garden variety” in court.

Queanbeyan man Christopher Matthews, 29, appeared at the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to driving with methamphetamine in May last year.

His lawyer Jeremy Banwell from Legal Aid told the court Matthews’ offending was “garden variety”, stating his manner of driving did not draw attention from police.

He said there were no aggravating features to his client’s offending, as he drove without any passengers and was not driving dangerously.

A magistrate has warned a man who pleaded guilty to drug driving to not be behind the wheel if he relapses. Picture: Supplied

Mr Banwell said Matthews had used meth the day before and did not believe he was still affected by the drug.

He said the police officers who arrested him allowed him to drive home, and said Matthews had drove himself to court that day.

He said his client had been clean for two years prior to his offending, but he had recently ended a toxic relationship and had fallen in with an “anti social” crowd at the time.

Mr Banwell said Matthews had been clean for nine months since his arrest, and said it was “no small feat”.

He said Matters had long gaps in his criminal record and said he had proven to be able to be a law-abiding citizen.

The lawyer said Matthews was a self-employed landscaper, and while he had some part-time subcontractors, he did not have any full-time employees.

He said his client needed to drive to worksites and didn’t have someone who could reliably drive him to jobs.

Mr Banwell said a lengthy disqualification period could result in Matthews closing his business.

Additionally Mr Banwell told the court Matthews had a seven-year-old child who lived on the south coast with their mother.

He said Matthews and his ex-partner would usually meet in Braidwood to exchange custody of the child, and said his client was concerned about how a driving disqualification could impact his relationship with his child.

Mr Barnwell said the threshold for jail time had not been crossed.

However Magistrate James Stewart told Mr Banwell it was Matthew’s “fourth time around”, stating the drug driver had three prior PCA offences in NSW.

Mr Stewart said the threshold had been crossed but told Matthews he’d impose the most lenient sentence – an immediate release order.

He also sentenced Matthews to a 12 month disqualification period, and told the court it was the minimum sentence available.

Mr Stewart warned Matthews to avoid driving if he ever relapsed on meth again.