’Little odd’: Drugs found in early morning police stop

A man has narrowly avoided jail after he was found with drugs in a car he was travelling in.

Generic marijuana weed cannabis Townsville

A MAN who was caught with marijuana and methamphetamines in the early hours of the morning when the car he was a passenger in was pulled over has escaped spending time in prison.

Andrew Kevin Lane, 43, of Sugarloaf, pleaded guilty in Bowen Magistrate Court to two charges of possessing dangerous drugs.

Prosecutor Sergeant Michael Phillips told the court police intercepted a vehicle on the Bruce Highway which Lane was the only passenger in, on September 26, 2019, at 3.40am.

During the interception, a search of the vehicle found a carrier bag belonging to Lane containing a clip seal bag with 2.75 grams of cannabis inside, and another with 0.66 grams of methamphetamine.

Sgt Phillips said given Lane’s previous history, a prison sentence would be in line as punishment.

“He was given a substantial $1500 fine six months ago which has done little to stop him,” he said.

Duty lawyer Cleo Rewald said Lane had fallen back into a cycle of drugs after a workplace accident six years ago, in which he had broken multiple vertebrae.

She said he is taking proactive steps to address his addiction and her submission was Lane received fines.

When Magistrate James Morton questioned Lane why he was driving at 3.40am, he said he was delivering a car to his mum.

“Don’t you think police pulling you over at 3.40am is a little odd? Don’t you think there’s something else going on there,” Mr Morton said.

“Police must know what you’re up to.”

Mr Morton said he could see Lane had ‘dabbled in drugs before’ and his history ‘wasn’t good’.

“You pleaded guilty to trafficking methamphetamine and cannabis in Townsville Supreme Court in 2002, and then you didn’t have any charges until 2014, which is when I assume you had the accident,” he said.

You were given a fine in 2014, in 2015 you were given another and then 2017 another fine.

“Then you were given another substantial $1500 fine last year, but that didn’t deter you did it?”

Mr Morton said based on Lane’s previous history a term of imprisonment was warranted.

Lane was sentenced on both charges to two months in prison, to be served concurrently, wholly suspended for 9 months.

“‘I accept you’re getting counselling and you were cooperative to the police, but to give a fine would send a wrong message to the community who are sick of drug users and offenders.”

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