Troy Rodney Priester fined for smashing Emerald pharmacy doors in medical cannabis dispute

A Dalby man who caused thousands of dollars worth of a damage to a pharmacy after they refused to give him weed has fronted court.

General generic editorial stock image of medicinal cannabis. Picture: NCA NewsWire.

A Dalby man who shattered the glass doors of a pharmacy after they refused to provide him medical cannabis has attempted to justify his action by suggesting the store “needed a better system”.

Troy Rodney Priester appeared in the Dalby Magistrates Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to one count of property damage and one count of drug driving.

The court was told on December 8, 2024 at the Central Highlands Marketplace in Emerald, Priester entered into a pharmacy trying to get his regular cannabis prescription and was told he had used all of his dispenses for that month.

After a short argument Priester exited the store, punching the glass doors on the way out and shattering them with the entire incident caught on CCTV footage.

Priester told the court he was on medical cannabis for an injured back and had “lost his temper” when he was denied his prescription.

He suggested that the pharmacy had made a mistake with the number of dispenses that month and said “the store needs a better system”.

Before he could finish his thoughts magistrate Kathleen Payne interrupted him and said “no, men in the community need to control their anger”.

“This is about your conduct, regardless of their system you need to control your emotions,” she said.

Priester told the court that after the incident he had returned to the pharmacy and apologised for his conduct.

Meanwhile on May 23, 2025 Priester was intercepted on Dalby Cecil Plains Rd and subjected to an roadside drug test where he returned a positive reading for THC and methamphetamine.

For the damage to the door Priester was ordered to pay $2200 restitution to the pharmacy and fined $500.

Meanwhile for the drug driving he was fined $500 and received a two month loss of licence.

No conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Troy Rodney Priester fined for smashing Emerald pharmacy doors in medical cannabis dispute