Kahmel Sleiman: Shoalhaven concreter busted after trying methamphetamine

A business owner’s curiosity to try methamphetamine has ended in shame, after being pulled over by police for a random breath test a couple days later.

Kahmel Sleiman was convicted after driving with the meth in his system.

A business owner’s curiosity to try methamphetamine with his mate has ended with a criminal conviction, after being pulled over for a random breath test at Nowra.

The decision to try the prohibited drug saw Kahmel Sleiman, 41, wind up in Nowra Local Court on Tuesday where he was sentenced after pleading guilty driving with illicit drug present in blood.

The court heard how the decision to try the drug was nothing more than “pure curiosity” for the Sydney man, who regularly travels to the Shoalhaven for his concrete business which he runs.

Documents tendered to the court reveal the drugs were taken by Sleiman and his mate – who was not named in court or in police documents – on the evening of May 11 at a Nowra home.

Agreed facts state two days after Sleiman and his mate had indulged in the meth, the concreter was travelling along O’Keefe Ave, Nowra when he was pulled over by police for a random breath and drug test.

Kahmel Sleiman decided to try the meth with his mate out of "pure curiosity".

“[Sleiman] completed the test which immediately displayed a positive reading for methamphetamine,” agreed facts state.

Sleiman was arrested and taken to the Nowra police station, where he returned a second positive reading for meth and cannabis.

The business owner’s licence was suspended on the spot.

In court on Tuesday, Sleiman’s lawyer said her client tested positive to the cannabis due to him being prescribed medicinal cannabis for back pain.

“The meth was a one off,” she said. “He met with his friend, they wanted to try it, they were curious.”

Sleiman’s lawyer asked if her client could be given a shortened licence disqualification period and have no conviction recorded given this was his first drug related offence.

While Magistrate Lisa Viney conceded Sleiman’s record was free of drug-related matters, she said his driving history was “poor”.

“You have quite a number of speeding matters on your history,” she said. “For someone who has to drive as often as you do for work, not having the privilege of a licence will be quite an inconvenience.”

When sentencing, Ms Viney said it would be “inappropriate” to not record a conviction given the seriousness of drug related traffic offences and Sleiman’s poor record.

Sleiman was convicted, fined $600 and had his licence disqualified for three months.