Armed law student caught by PSOs dealing ice in Frankston mall
A homeless man caught with ice, an imitation gun and rounds of ammunition in a Frankston shopping mall was forging a promising career in law until he spiralled into drugs after being badly beaten with a baseball bat, a court has heard.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
A law student caught with a gun dealing drugs in a Frankston shopping mall turned to ice to cope with PTSD after being viciously bashed with a baseball bat.
Adam Pearce began a downward drug spiral after he was attacked while he slept in a friend’s home about 18 months ago leaving him with a badly broken arm.
After it was treated with screws and one of them became infected, he suffered serious health complications from taking antibiotics and now needs a kidney transplant.
He lost his part-time landscaping job, quit his studies, couldn’t afford the rent, became homeless and began taking drugs to deal with the stress and trauma.
The homeless 30-year-old pleaded guilty to a plethora of crimes including theft, drug-trafficking, weapons and assault-related offending at Frankston Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
The court heard on April 14 this year PSOs were patrolling Frankston’s Station Street Mall when they saw Pearce talking suspiciously to another man.
He was searched and 4.3g of ice, an imitation gun, a folding knife, rounds of ammunition, deal bags, digital scales and caps and fittings that could be used for making a homemade firearm were found.
In November last year he was caught in Carrum Downs driving a stolen car with police finding a handgun and a hunting knife inside the vehicle.
In July last year he was nabbed in Carrum Downs in a car, this time with morphine, Viagra and other prescription tablets, and in February this year he admitted stealing a USB from Karingal Big W.
In May last year Pearce assaulted his mum, pushing her in the chest and holding a sock over her mouth because of a dispute she’d had with his girlfriend.
Two months later his mother found blood and ammunition in his washing, and when she went to his bedroom she saw a homemade firearm and bullets in a bag, as well as stolen ID, passport and bank cards.
His defence lawyer said he had a promising career, having worked at courts as a registrar before starting a law degree.
She said problems arising from treating his broken arm left him mentally and physically affected and he turned to drugs, using up to .5g of ice a day, to escape PTSD from the attack.
She said his assault on his mum was committed in a drug haze and his propensity to possess weapons was because he felt he had to protect himself.
The car had been bought cheap from Gumtree, she said, and although Pearce suspected it may have been stolen, he needed somewhere to sleep.
She said since the unprovoked attack “his life had gone astray” but he was determined to get clean and try to resume a normal existence when released.
MORE COURT NEWS
GUN DEAL: JUNKIE SWAPPED RIFLES FOR ICE AND CASH
BRUTE HELD DOWN WOMAN BY HER THROAT IN BROKEN GLASS
BAYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE BARRIER THIEF THOUGHT HE WAS GOD
Magistrate Charles Tan said Pearce, who had only one prior crime on his rap sheet, didn’t need to do any more time behind bars.
“I accept the traumatic assault you suffered spiralled you into a world of drugs,” Mr Tan said.
Pearce was jailed for 56 days, classed as time served, and released on a community corrections order with drug and mental health treatment.