Bondi local Leah Mellor pleads guilty to cocaine possession charge after Rose Bay toilet bust

A veteran magistrate has unleashed on people who come “crying” to him after being busted with drugs, again lamenting the “never-ending saga of cocaine” in an affluent area of Sydney.

A veteran magistrate has continued his crusade against drugs in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, this time warning a woman not to come back to court with “tears running down (her) face” after she was busted snorting cocaine in a “dirty, filthy toilet”.

Bondi Beach resident Leah Mellor, 26, faced Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday, when she escaped a criminal conviction despite pleading guilty to possessing a prohibited drug.

Documents tendered to the court state police were at the East Rugby Ladies Day, at Woollahra Oval in Rose Bay, at 6.30pm on August 3.

When in the women’s bathroom, officers heard a sound they described as being consistent with someone snorting cocaine.

Mellor later left the bathroom and was approached by officers, who asked her if she had any drugs on her.

Police officers happened upon Leah Mellor snorting cocaine in the bathroom. Picture: Tom Parrish

Mellor confirmed she did and handed over a clear, resealable bag of cocaine, weighing 0.5g.

Her lawyer told the court how much Mellor regretted her “foolish decision” and accepted full accountability.

Magistrate Michael Barko slammed Mellor for engaging in the “never-ending saga of cocaine” that plagues Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

“The community is sick and tired of the willingness of people breaking the law … and there you are in a dirty, filthy toilet snorting it because you knew it was illegal,” Mr Barko said.

Magistrate Michael Barko blasted Leah Mellor for engaging in drug use. Picture: iStock

“They all come crying to me: ‘Oh, I don’t want a conviction, please don’t convict me, and yet I’m willing to go to the dirty, filthy toilet to snort it’, that wonderful ... little drug that makes everyone happy. And now you are here facing the big picture.”

While Mellor wasn’t convicted and instead received a 12-month conditional release order, Mr Barko said he had previously toyed with the idea of automatically convicting people over drug-related offences.

“I was contemplating a while ago that I’m just gonna start convicting people as there doesn’t seem to be any deterrence,” he said.

“I love how people do drug rehabilitation after they’re caught and not before.”

Originally published as Bondi local Leah Mellor pleads guilty to cocaine possession charge after Rose Bay toilet bust