Daniel Edmonds: Darwin business owner guilty of MDMA stash, drink and drug driving crash and dash

A business owner who was high on cocaine and meth, and more than three times the legal limit, caused two crashes and also possessed a trafficable quantity of MDMA, a court has heard.

Darwin business owner Daniel Raymond Edmonds, 37. Picture: LinkedIn

The self-employed owner of a Darwin fire mitigation business was involved in two high-range drink driving collisions while also high on cocaine and methamphetamine, and in possession of a trafficable quantity of MDMA, a court has heard.

Daniel Raymond Edmonds, 37, pleaded guilty in Darwin Local Court on Tuesday, August 6, to seven traffic and drug offences.

They included possessing a trafficable quantity of MDMA, high range drink driving, drug driving, careless driving, failure to stay in lane, failing to report a crash and leaving the scene of a crash.

All the offences occurred on Peel St and The Esplanade in Darwin City just before 5am on May 24 this year.

The court heard Edmonds was driving his white Ford Ranger utility on Peel St when he struck a parked vehicle.

He stopped, examined the damage, then commenced driving onto The Esplanade, where he crossed onto the wrong side of the road and hit the kerb.

He then parked his vehicle, where he was confronted by police officers who had been hailed by a witness.

The court heard Edmonds was unsteady on his feet and his breath smelt of alcohol.

A breath analysis revealed a blood-alcohol content of 0.171 per cent – more than three and a half times the legal limit – and subsequent tests also detected cocaine and methamphetamine in his system.

A search of his person uncovered nine MDMA capsules and three pressed ecstasy pills.

Defence lawyer Michael Drury told the court his client had been self-medicating with alcohol and illicit substances due to the breakdown of his marriage.

“He is a man who has always supported his children emotionally and financially, and is a loving and doting father,” Mr Drury said.

He said his client originally joined the Australian Army, serving in the Royal Australian Armoured Corps, before working in civil construction then transitioning to fire mitigation, eventually establishing his own business.

Mr Drury stressed his client had recognised his life was spiralling out of control prior to the offending, with his first psychological appointment predating the offences.

Mr Drury submitted his client should escape having convictions recorded against him, owing to the fact a substantial portion of his work involved serving the RAAF bases, Robertson Barracks and the correctional precinct at Holtze.

“If convicted, he will lose work on those bases,” Mr Drury said.

However, Judge Therese Austin told the court the offending was too serious to not record convictions, even though Edmonds was a first-time offender

She placed Edmonds on a 12-month community correction order – conditional upon him not consuming alcohol or illicit substances – and disqualified his licence for 12 months.