Steven Eugene Lammey busted with 345g of weed at Helensvale station

A judge has told a man busted with 345g of weed on a train - who had a medical clearance - that if he hadn’t been so frank with police he wouldn’t have faced more serious supply charges.

Steven Eugene Lammey leaving Southport courthouse on December 18.

A magistrate has applauded the “candour” of a man busted with a significant quantity of marijuana who told police enough about his side hustle to be charged with more serious offences.

Steven Eugene Lammey was intercepted by the police railway squad at Helensvale train station on July 27 at 11am for a handheld scan.

Prosecutor Rodney Keyte told the court police noticed a strong smell of burned cannabis, and took Lammey to the police hub for a further search.

Lammey produced a small tin with cannabis, which he was able to provide a prescription for, but further police searches uncovered a digital scale and a further 345g of cannabis.

During the interaction, Mr Keytes said Lammey told police that he sold cannabis to two friends, to supplement his income.

As a result, Lammey was charged with possessing dangerous drugs, supplying dangerous drugs, and possessing anything used in the commission of a crime.

Lammey pleaded guilty to all three offences in the Southport Magistrates Court on December 18.

Lammey’s solicitor, Trent Playford, told the court the 51-year-old was well educated, having studied at the Memphis College of Art before moving back to Australia, where he worked as a glazier and also for the Brisbane City Council.

Mr Playford said Lammey’s life took somewhat of a turn five years ago, when he lost his leg after a skateboarding accident. Mr Playford said despite the amputated limb, he had been denied the disability pension and as such had struggled financially.

Magistrate Dominic Brunello said given Lammey’s prescription for cannabis, police might have accepted that the scale and the amount of cannabis was for personal use, and without his “frank and fulsome” admissions police would not have been able to charge him with supply.

“People who provide that sort of candour to police at the point of first contact, leading to a charge that would have otherwise been unknown, deserve some leniency,” Magistrate Brunello said.

Lammey was ultimately sentenced to six months probation with no conviction recorded.

Originally published as Steven Eugene Lammey busted with 345g of weed at Helensvale station