Bobbie Phillips granted bail in Southport Magistrates Court after night in police watch house

A former Gold Coast real estate agent appeared in the Southport Magistrates Court with a laundry list of charges. His lawyer said one event triggered what they described as a ‘downward spiral’.

Bobbie Phillips leaving the Southport watch house on December 11, 2024.

A former real estate agent’s downward spiral into a life of alleged drug use and petty crime began after young daughter was removed from his care, a Gold Coast court has heard.

Bobbie Phillips was granted bail in the Southport Magistrates Court on Wednesday despite the prosecutor objecting and the court hearing he had failed to appear in court on seven occasions since July, 2021.

Police arrested the 39-year-old at a Hungry Jacks on Tuesday, on a warrant which was issued after he failed to appear in court on December 4. He spent Tuesday night in the watch house.

Phillips pleaded guilty to the charge of failing to appear, with the duty lawyer telling Magistrate Joan White that Phillips had attended court on that date, but had left after suffering a panic attack.

“He instructs he suffered a mental break(down) approximately three years ago when his daughter was taken from his care,” the duty lawyer said.

Bobbie Phillips has been convicted for failing to appear - and released on bail awaiting a hearing on other charges.

“Unfortunately, he turned to methamphetamines as a means to coping with that grief, and his life has been in a downward spiral since that point in time.”

The duty lawyer told the court Phillips also suffered from depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

At the time Phillips failed to show in court on December 4, he was already on a suspended sentence for breaches of the Bail Act, and also subject to parole.

However, Magistrate White was satisfied the night in the watch house was enough punishment. Phillips was convicted and not further punished, with a conviction recorded.

Phillips also had a laundry list of other charges listed, including possessing dangerous drugs, possessing drug utensils, receiving tainted property, and possessing restricted items.

The prosecution objected to bail on those charges on the basis of Phillips’ “disregard for the law and court undertakings”.

The prosecution told the court the man has failed to appear seven times since July 2021.

He was granted bail, with his remaining charges scheduled for a next mention on January 28, 2025.