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A former Gympie Regional Council concreter faced court for drugs, weapons and explosives charges

A dad-of-three’s life went out of control after he suffered an injury. Now the former council worker has faced court on a raft of charges.

Former Gympie Regional Council lead concreter pleaded guilty over possession of drugs, weapon and explosives. The one-time Rockhampton man now works on the Sunshine Coast. Photo: Christine Schindler
Former Gympie Regional Council lead concreter pleaded guilty over possession of drugs, weapon and explosives. The one-time Rockhampton man now works on the Sunshine Coast. Photo: Christine Schindler

A Curra father has faced court for a range of offences including having explosives.

Darren Sanim, 32, pleaded guilty in Gympie Magistrates Court on Monday to possession of drugs, possession of drug utensils and unlawful possession of a weapon and explosives.

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Police prosecutor Melissa Campbell said police conducted a search of the caravan Sanim was residing in on January 3, 2023.

They found methamphetamine, a glass smoking pipe, a grinder and a set of digital scales with crystal substance sitting on top of it.

Police also found a disassembled air rifle and several boxes of ammunition, which the tradie admitted not having a licence for.

He told cops he planned to assemble it to go hunting with a friend.

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Sanim worked for 10 years at Gympie Regional Council as a lead concreter before a hand injury and a split from his partner sent him into “a deep depression and two year spiral where the injury took its toll”, duty lawyer Laura Nightingale told the court.

Sanim, who has three children, now works full-time on the Sunshine Coast as a concreter.

Darren Sanim appeared in the Gympie Magistrates Court on February 6, 2023.
Darren Sanim appeared in the Gympie Magistrates Court on February 6, 2023.

Ms Nightingale said her client had moved down from Rockhampton at the time of the offending.

She said he had his caravan on a friend’s property.

The friend was the target of the police search warrant and because his caravan was there the police searched it and located the items, Ms Nightingale said.

“He’s since moved from that location,” she told the court.

“He is a hard worker, with no criminal history and is capable of paying the fines.”

“He is now happily co-parenting with the mother of his children, despite being not in a relationship with her.”

The defendant said he no longer used drugs when asked by Magistrate Chris Callaghan about his substance habit.

Mr Callaghan ordered no convictions recorded and fined Sanim $500.

Originally published as A former Gympie Regional Council concreter faced court for drugs, weapons and explosives charges

Original URL: https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/queensland/gympie/police-courts/a-former-gympie-regional-council-concreter-pleads-faced-court-for-drugs-weapons-and-explosives-charges/news-story/ebd8122a358683f69e35d770f7eade21