Justin Lane: Dubbo businessman spared drug conviction

A popular tradesman repeatedly told police who bailed him up outside a bathroom that he was “coming to pee”, and not attempting to avoid a sniffer dog.

A Dubbo businessman has been spared a conviction for drug possession after a police sniffer dog helped catch him at a pub with capsules which were believed to be MDMA.

Tradesman Justin Jeffrey Lane, 30, pleaded guilty to a possess prohibited drug charge after police noticed him acting suspiciously at the Macquarie Inn on May 22.

According to a statement of agreed police facts tendered in court, police and drug detection dog Polar were at the pub about 8.15pm when they noticed Lane go into the bathroom after he had already been once before.

The Macquarie Inn at Dubbo where police caught Justin Lane with drugs.

When Lane was outside the bathroom police questioned him about why he was returning and he continually said “I’m coming to pee”.

In court documents police said “along with this verbal looping police also noticed he was looking around and appeared apprehensive at the interactions, leading police to form the opinion he was nervous”.

“Due to the history and intelligence related to the location and drug offences, the attempt of the accused to avoid the drug detection dog and nervousness of the accused, police formed the suspicion he was in possession of a prohibited drug,” police said.

Lane was told he would be searched and he was moved to a nearby private area.

While seated in the area police saw Lane flick a small green mint tin from his right hand, down the right side of the chair he was sitting on.

After police heard the tin rattle as it hit the floor, they picked it up and found four capsules inside it which were believed to be MDMA.

“He denied all knowledge of the tin or its contents, claiming he didn’t drop the tin despite being seen by police,” police said in court documents.

Lane appeared in Dubbo Local Court for sentencing and was represented by defence lawyer Matthew Quill.

Mr Quill tendered various character references in support of Lane.

Magistrate Gary Wilson sentenced Lane to a six-month conditional release order and did not record a conviction.

The order requires Lane to be of good behaviour.