Gretel Wathen pleads guilty to cocaine possession near Northies
A junior law clerk caught with a bag of cocaine wedged into her phone case between an Opal card and a picture of her boyfriend has vowed at court to live a “clean and healthy lifestyle”.
St George Shire Standard
Don't miss out on the headlines from St George Shire Standard. Followed categories will be added to My News.
An aspiring lawyer who works as a junior clerk for a Sydney barrister has promised to live a “clean, healthy lifestyle” after she was caught with a bag of cocaine wedged inside her phone case between an Opal card and a picture of her boyfriend.
Gretel Wathen, 20, was caught with the bag on her way to Northies when police found her in the back of a car driving strangely through Cronulla’s back streets on November 9 last year.
In facts tendered to the court police stated the second-year law student from the University of Wollongong was “exhibiting strange behaviour which led police to believe she was under the influence of drugs”.
“Police questioned the accused about drug use and she made admissions about using drugs at previous music festivals,” the facts stated.
“Police searched the handbag and the mobile phone of the accused, and while searching inside the mobile phone cover a small bag of white powder was located in between the accused’s Opal card and a picture of her boyfriend.”
Wathen pleaded guilty to prohibited drug possession at Sutherland Local Court and was sentenced by Magistrate Michael Connell to a 12-month conditional release order without conviction.
“In life we can make good decisions or bad decisions, the choice is really yours,” Mr Connell told Wathen.
“This is your one opportunity to remain free of a conviction.”
Submissions tendered to the court by her solicitor reveal Wathen is employed as a junior clerk to barrister Darian Nagle at HB Higgins Chambers in Sydney.
“This criminal act is out of character for the Gretel that I know,” Mr Nagle wrote in a letter to the court.
“Gretel has expressed what I believe to be genuine shame and regret in relation to her actions and it has become clear to her that to be a lawyer tomorrow means not making these poor choices today.”
The Blakehurst woman had told police at the time the drugs were not hers but later took full responsibility in a letter of apology to the court.
“I have the utmost respect for the law and would like you to know that I have no intention of making the same mistake again,” Wathen wrote.
“I have had time to reflect and I’m intent on living a clean, healthy lifestyle going forward - I wish to never be involved with the court again as a defendant and will not reoffend.”
The court heard this was her first criminal offence.
