Patrick Weribone caught with replica gun at Kershaw Gardens play area

Police caught a man with a replica handgun and drugs at a popular kids play area in Central Queensland - he’d earlier committed offences in the state’s south-west.

Patrick John Weribone, 31, was sentenced in Gladstone Magistrates Court after being caught with a replica handgun at North Rockhampton’s Kershaw Gardens. Generic image.

A man caught with a replica handgun and drugs at a popular kids water play area in North Rockhampton, has faced court.

Patrick John Weribone, 31, appeared in custody in Gladstone Magistrates Court last Friday where he pleaded guilty to charges including possessing a restricted item, possessing dangerous drugs, drink driving, drug driving, and two counts each of unlicensed driving and failing to appear in court.

The court heard that on February 16, police were searching for Weribone at North Rockhampton’s Kershaw Gardens and they found him near the water play area.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Merrilyn Hoskins said Weribone was in possession of a replica handgun.

“And it had Glock branding similar to police-issued firearms,” Sgt Hoskins said.

The prosecutor said when police detained Weribone for a search, they also found him with 30.52g of cannabis.

Sgt Hoskins said checks showed that Weribone had failed to appear in court for matters on January 14.

She said Weribone was taken to Rockhampton Watch-house and bailed to appear in court on March 10, but again he did not show and a warrant was issued.

Gladstone Courthouse.

In relation to the traffic offences, the court heard Weribone was caught driving unlicensed at St George on November 9 last year and after testing, he returned positives to both methamphetamine and cannabis.

Then on November 16, Weribone was again caught behind the wheel at St George unlicensed - this time he returned a blood alcohol reading of .026 (over the zero limit).

Weribone had a 12-page criminal history and a three-page traffic record.

His traffic history included previous unlicensed driving offences and previous drug driving offending.

Solicitor Bianca Wieland said Weribone, who was born in Gladstone and raised in St George, was a boilermaker by trade and he had recently suffered a number of family losses.

“In December his brother passed, and then in February his sister passed in very traumatic circumstances, and then only just last week his mother then passed as well from cancer,” Ms Wieland said.

“And (he) had been with (his mum) during that time as well.

“So he has been going through quite a traumatic period in these past few months... and certainly has been focusing primarily on his grief and the things that have been happening in his family, rather than his appearances in court.”

Ms Wieland said Weribone had been using cannabis to help him sleep and he had sought help to get the medicinal variety.

The solicitor said Weribone’s grandmother was in court to support him.

Magistrate Mary Buchanan sentenced Weribone to two months’ jail, wholly suspended for an operational period of 12 months.

She also fined him $400, placed him on probation for 12 months, and disqualified him from driving for eight months.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Patrick Weribone caught with replica gun at Kershaw Gardens play area