Micheal Scott Meddings sentenced in Townsville Supreme Court for hiding methamphetamine and money stash at mechanic repair shop

A man ran from police despite the officers targeting a separate offender – then tried to hide a bag with drugs and thousands of dollars inside at a busy Townsville repair shop.

Micheal Scott Meddings sentenced in Townsville Supreme Court for possessing items related to drug trafficking after being caught with $17,000 and 9g of methamphetamine. Picture: Facebook

Shortly after being released from jail on parole, a man attempted to stash a bag with drugs and a large amount of money under a car at a local business during a dramatic arrest.

Micheal Scott Meddings appeared in Townsville Supreme Court on Thursday morning, having appeared in the same court three times prior. Crown prosecutor Andrew Walklate said on March 28 last year the now 32-year-old was in the passenger seat of a car that had been flagged by police.

Despite authorities not targeting Meddings at the time and deploying a tyre deflation device to stop the driver of the vehicle on Riverway Drive, he still ran from police after the car stopped, running into a nearby mechanic repair shop.

Mr Walklate said workers of the shop noticed Meddings hide a black bag under a car along with his hat and vape that dropped on the ground nearby.

In the bag police found 12.3g of a substance which contained 9.2g of methamphetamine with a purity of just below 75 per cent, $17,000 was also found in the bag, two scales and clip seal bags, the crown said.Mr Walklate said he then proceeded to run towards Pioneer Park where he was ultimately arrested.

The court was told in 2022 Meddings was sentenced for similar offences where he was found to be in possession of more than 9g of methamphetamine with a lesser purity level and $2000 cash and once again fled from authorities.

Defence barrister Darin Honchin instructed by Stevenson and Mcnamara Lawyers said the man had one son who he had no contact with and had been addicted to methamphetamine for 15 years.

Mr Honchin added his client had extensive work skills and machine operating tickets, and had attempted to engage in counselling while back in jail. Justice Tom Sullivan emphasised the man could be living a “lawful existence” considering the qualifications he obtained.

“One would think someone with those skills could make significant amounts of money,” His Honour said.

“You have been convicted over a decade in relation to drugs. It’s a substance that is a particularly odious drug which brings great damage to society.”

While Meddings had spent 548 days behind bars, His Honour ordered 76 days be declared as time already served as the remaining days were in relation to his separate sentence.

Meddings pleaded guilty to possessing property related to drug trafficking, possessing drugs, possessing anything for use in the commission of a crime and contravening an order about electronically-stored information.

He was sentenced to three years’ jail with a parole release date of July 12, 2025.

Originally published as Micheal Scott Meddings sentenced in Townsville Supreme Court for hiding methamphetamine and money stash at mechanic repair shop