Preston’s Anthony Marinucci allegedly found with ice, weapons
A Preston man allegedly caught with a stash of ice and a steel mallet told a Magistrate he’d been trying to turn his life around, and asked the court to “be reasonable”.
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A Preston man has allegedly been repeatedly caught driving around carrying weapons and large supplies of drugs in recent months, a court has heard.
But Anthony Marinucci said he’d been trying to turn his life around, when he fronted Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on Friday, July 3.
He was arrested the night before, with police allegedly finding 24g of methamphetamine — eight times the amount deemed a trafficable quantity — in his car.
The court heard police searched his Nissan after he pulled into a service station on High St, Epping about 10.16pm on July 2.
They also allegedly found a steel mallet, electronic scales, 60ml of methadone and a phone, charging him with drug trafficking and possessing a controlled weapon.
Marinucci was on bail for similar alleged offences at the time, having been arrested when police stopped his Nissan in East Melbourne about 2.40am on April 17.
The court heard when the driver’s door was opened an extendible baton fell out of the car, before police allegedly uncovered two cocaine capsules, two MDMA tablets and two grams of cannabis.
When he was searched at the police station, 7g of methamphetamine and a small bottle of GHB was allegedly found on Marinucci.
Police also allegedly found a range of licences, credit cards and Medicare cards in other names and various pieces of women’s jewellery in his possession, all believed to have been stolen.
The court heard his licence had been suspended when he was allegedly caught drug driving in Thomastown on January 29.
Marinucci, who chose to apply for bail without a lawyer, told the court the substance found in his car was not methamphetamine, he’d used the steel mallet to install a speaker, and the methadone was a friend’s.
“Do I look like I take methadone? Come on, be reasonable. I’m not lying to you,” he said.
Marinucci said he had turned his life around “a fair bit” and had full time employment for the first time in a long time.
He said he would comply with a curfew and regularly report to police if he was granted bail.
But Magistrate Stephen Ballek refused bail saying he hadn’t proven exceptional circumstances on why he should be released, and he was concerned about the risk of Marinucci offending.
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