Ngoc Thanh Vo in court for forgery, drug offences

A former heroin addict convicted of multiple drugs, forgery and other crimes has told a Bundaberg court how his fear of reliving past trauma triggered his recent string of offences.

Ngoc Thanh Vo appeared in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Monday July 17, 2023.

A former heroin addict has told the court how reliving the trauma of his past triggered a drug relapse, which then led to more than a dozen offences, including forging a medical document.

Ngoc Thanh Vo appeared in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Monday, July 17 and pleaded guilty to 13 charges, including forgery and uttering, possessing dangerous drugs and breaching bail.

Lawyer Craig Ryan appeared for Vo and told the court of the “unusual set of circumstances” which led to his offending.

“He was introduced to heroin at age 14, became addicted,” Mr Ryan told the court.

The court heard Vo made efforts to get clean in adulthood and went on to work in the hospitality industry which culminated in his role as head chef at a local sports club.

However, the court heard, in 2019 Vo was forced to relive a past trauma.

The court heard this process caused an emotional breakdown which led to his relationship ending, the loss of his job and his return to drug use.

The drug use triggered the offending which included three counts of drug driving, four counts of possessing utensils related to drug use, and possession of dangerous drugs.

The court heard Vo was also on bail for unrelated offences when he failed to report to the Bundaberg police station in early April, 2022.

The father-of-one arrived at the station on April 6, and provided two medical certificates he claimed he had received from Burrum Street Pharmacy explaining his absence on April 1, 2 and 4.

Questions were raised over the differences in the paperwork, and when the pharmacy was contacted it was revealed Vo had forged the second document.

Mr Ryan told the court Vo had been fearful he would be sent to custody for failing to report, which was why he forged the documents.

Magistrate John McInnes told the court Vo would not have been sent to custody for such a minor offence.

“It’s not the crime, it’s the cover up,” he said.

Vo received a three month suspended sentence for the forgery and uttering charges and was disqualified from driving for six months. Convictions were recorded.

Ngoc Thanh Vo appeared in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court on Monday, July 17, 2023.

Originally published as Ngoc Thanh Vo in court for forgery, drug offences