Gavin Owen Williams sentenced for drug driving, methamphetamine possession in Mackay Magistrates Court

His Facebook profile bears the slogan ‘I do what I want’ and for this troubled Queenslander, that apparently includes meth driving and leaving fingerprints in a stolen car.

41-year-old Gavin Owen Williams has been sentenced in Mackay Magistrates Court on Thursday, September 14, 2023.

A man with a tattoo on his jaw reading “cops f*** kids” has walked free from prison despite police finding him unconscious behind the wheel in a drug-induced coma.

Gavin Owen Williams, 41, pleaded guilty to six charges in Mackay Magistrates Court on Thursday including disqualified driving, drug driving, and possessing methamphetamine.

Gavin Owen Williams has previously been sentenced for driving under the influence of drugs. Photo: Facebook.

He was charged with stealing in June 2022, before being found unconscious in a car on April 14 this year.

“You were found essentially unconscious in a vehicle and police had to rouse you,” Magistrate Bronwyn Hartigan said during sentencing.

“You were driving when you were disqualified and you had 0.35 grams of methamphetamine in your possession.

“Those charges are made more serious because you were on probation for failing to dispose of a needle and drug driving. You were also on parole for drug offending and other offences.”

Williams was further charged with unlawful use of a vehicle on August 12 after his fingerprints were found in a stolen vehicle.

The court heard that there was initially no suggestion he was the person who stole the vehicle, but Williams said his prints would be inside the vehicle.

Defence lawyer Sean Gibbs, of Fisher Dore lawyers, said Williams’ partner was in court to support him and he was confident he could find work as a scaffolder upon release.

“He has obviously struggled with drug use throughout his life, his criminal history is quite lengthy, particularly the past five years, he has been in and out of custody,” Mr Gibbs said.

He added Williams wanted to get back into the community and he had made a previous attempt to engage with the services to make positive changes in his life.

A photo Mr Williams posted on his Facebook profile in 2019. Photo: Facebook.

Williams was born in Wollongong in NSW. His Facebook profile also features weapons and drug references and the slogan: “I do what I want, when I want. I make my rules.”

Magistrate Hartigan noted Mr Williams had already served 100 days in prison on a previous sentence, and 33 days in pre-sentence custody since his arrest on current charges.

She concluded the small amount of methamphetamine he was found with “did not justify further time in custody”, and he had no previous convictions for unlawful use of a vehicle.

Magistrate Hartigan convicted Mr Williams on all charges and recorded convictions, but elected to not give him further time behind bars, due to time already served.

Instead Mr Williams was disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to pay a $300 fine for breaching his probation order.

Magistrate Hartigan ordered he be free from prison on Thursday afternoon.

Originally published as Gavin Owen Williams sentenced for drug driving, methamphetamine possession in Mackay Magistrates Court