Kayden Alexander Staples disqualified from driving for more than six years

After being introduced to methamphetamine at a party last year, a 21-year-old man’s life quickly took a turn for the criminal, and now he’s faced the consequences in court.

Kayden Alexander Staples leaving the Roma Magistrates Court on October 30, 2024.

Labelled as the “poster child” for methamphetamine use by a Queensland magistrate, a Roma man has appeared before the court with a laundry list of drug-fuelled offences.

Roma Magistrates Court was told 21-year-old Kayden Alexander Staples had a minimal criminal history before he was introduced to methamphetamine a few months prior, and since that time had found himself on the wrong side of the law.

In court on October 30, Staples pleaded guilty to nine charges including driving while disqualified on two occasions, driving while unlicensed, evading police, contravening police directions, possessing a weapon, driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, and drug driving.

Police prosecutor Ellysha Geddes told the court about 1.45am on August 16, 2024, Staples sped away from police during an attempted intercept, reaching speeds of up to 90km/h in a 60km/h zone, cutting corners to avoid police, and speeding through a stop sign at a railway crossing.

He was disqualified from holding a driver’s licence at the time.

On September 5, police received an anonymous tip off that Staples was driving, and police were able to intercept him.

Sergeant Geddes said as well as being disqualified, the car Staples was driving was unregistered and uninsured.

Police also found a butterfly knife on the man, and a roadside drug test found there was methamphetamine in his system.

When he was taken back to the police station, Sergeant Geddes said he failed to provide his identifying particulars.

The court was told Staples was again busted driving while SPER suspended on August 10, which magistrate Aaron Simpson duly pointed out could well have also been a drive while disqualified charge.

Sergeant Geddes said the 21-year-old’s current SPER debt was $5305.20.

Staples’ solicitor, Calum Wood, said his client was struggling with methamphetamine use, after being introduced to the drug at a party about a year ago.

“Things have just been carrying on ever since, and that’s why there’s been this … explosion of offending in a very short time,” Mr Wood said.

He said Staples was hoping to take a job on a sheep station away from Roma, which would help take him out of the “drug ecosystem” he is involved in.

Mr Simpson said he took into consideration that up until he started using methamphetamine, Staples had been a “good member of society”.

“You’ve then become the poster child for the use of methamphetamine,” Mr Simpson said.

“Mr Wood has urged on me that your life has basically been a spiral of really poor and dangerous choices because of that drug.”

Mr Simpson said he though Staples should be “given a chance” rather than just being “locked up”.

Staples was fined $8100, which brought his total SPER debt to more than $13,400, he was disqualified from holding a driver’s licence for six years and four months, and placed on probation for 18 months.

No convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Kayden Alexander Staples disqualified from driving for more than six years