Luke Wrigley: Concreter busted with cocaine in toilet cubicle

Police were conducting an inspection at a popular Dubbo drinking hole when they heard the “sound of snorting” coming from a bathroom cubicle, and observed two sets of shoes under the door of the stall. Find out what happened in court.

A Dubbo concreter overheard by police snorting cocaine with a mate in a Commercial Hotel cubicle has received a stern warning from a magistrate.

Luke Wrigley, 23, appeared in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited drug.

According to documents tendered to court, police were conducting an inspection at the Commercial Hotel in Dubbo about 7.30pm on Saturday, August 13 when they heard the “sound of snorting” coming from a cubicle in the bathroom.

Luke Wrigley appeared in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday.

“Police observed two sets of shoes in the stall which was currently closed and locked,” agreed facts revealed.

After police asked the pair to come out of the cubicle, Wrigley appeared and was ultimately searched, handing a small bag of cocaine to officers.

The 23-year-old was arrested and taken to Dubbo Police Station where the bag was weighed, totalling 0.9 grams.

On Wednesday, Wrigley’s lawyer Brendon Dunstan explained it was his client’s first time coming before the court.

He said he was highly regarded by his mother in law who supplied a character reference, something Mr Dunstan said “might be unusual” in other families.

The court heard Wrigley was studying at Tafe and was currently employed as a local concreter, with plans of establishing his own business in the future.

“Picture yourself, you and a male in a toilet stall snorting cocaine, how salubrious is that,” Magistrate Greg Grogin said.

“Can you get any lower activity in a toilet stall than snorting cocaine, you should be ashamed of yourself.

“In a hotel you have a drink, you don’t have to do drugs.”

Mr Grogin made reference to “dial a dealers” in Sydney who he claims have been “getting off” lightly and ultimately “making a profit” off Wrigley.

“You have no criminal record, just a record of stupidity for this offence,” Mr Grogin continued.

“You’re a good man, let’s revert to being a good man, [and] a good person who is going to [stay out of trouble].”

Mr Grogin decided against convicting Wrigley, placing him on a 12 month conditional release order, where he must abstain from drugs.