Noble Park junkie Tongseng Chea jailed after cops find ice and weapons days after rehab
The Noble Park addict had done the right thing by completing a 90-day stint at a rehab clinic. But just days after leaving he took a “backward step”, and was caught by cops with ice and a knife.
South East
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A druggie less than two weeks out of court-sanctioned rehab who was found with ice, ammunition and a knife has been jailed.
But because he has already spent almost three months on remand he walked free and straight onto a community corrections order.
On October 22 Tongseng Chea was helping his former partner move house when police raided the Noble Park property.
As Chea was loading a car in the driveway officers searched him, finding 1g of ice, a .22 ammunition round and a pocket knife.
Chea was on a deferral of sentence at the time for a raft of other crimes, including several car thefts, and had been let out to do rehabilitation for his chronic drug use.
He had spent 90 days at a specialist clinic and was released in early October.
But just days later he was found with the drugs and remanded back in custody.
He was also nabbed with a samurai sword at his Noble Park home in May.
Chea said the drugs belonged to someone else and the ammunition and knife were collectables he had forgotten he owned until he found them again.
At Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Monday Chea pleaded guilty to four drugs and weapons charges.
His defence lawyer said Chea had finished the rehab but he “had slipped” back into drug possession.
She said he was disappointed in himself after this “backward step”.
Magistrate Suzette Dootjes told Chea he needed more support to fight his addiction, which combined with his poor choice of associates, led to him committing crimes.
“You were given a deferred sentence and successfully completed rehab, but unfortunately within days you were reoffending,” Ms Dootjes said.
“Your reasons (for offending) are not particularly good reasons.
“You blame others for influencing you, you need to choose your own way.”
Chea was jailed for 85 days, classed as time served, and released on a 12-month community corrections order with drug and mental health counselling conditions.
He was also suspended from driving for three months and fined $200.
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