Burger run to Hungry Jack’s costly for Toowoomba drug driver

A driver to a Toowoomba Hungry Jack’s outlet has left a man without a driver’s licence for more than two years.

Police pulled in behind the man after he drove into Hungry Jack’s at the corner of Ruthven and Alderley Sts.

A drive to Hungry Jack’s has left a Toowoomba man on nine months probation and without a driver’s licence for more than two years.

A police patrol had seen Matthew Peter Esgate drive into Hungry Jack’s on the corner of Ruthven and Alderley Sts about 2.45pm on Sunday, May 23, this year, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard yesterday.

During the ensuing conversation with police, Esgate had asked if he could get something out of the boot of his car but when he opened the boot, the officers noticed scales and a grinder with remnants of “green leafy material”, police prosecutor Cameron Francis told the court.

That led to a search of the car during which police found 7g of cannabis in a clip seal bag, a used bong for smoking the drug, scissors to chopping up cannabis leaf and a pipe for smoking it, he said.

After a roadside drug test proved positive for an illicit drug, Esgate was further tested and found to have had methylamphetamine and cannabis in his system.

A check of his driving record also found his licence had been disqualified by the same court for three months on April 1, Mr Francis said.

Esgate pleaded guilty to drug driving, driving while disqualified by court order, and to possessing dangerous drugs and drug related utensils.

Duty solicitor Phil Stainton told the court the 39-year-old lived near the Gold Coast and had been on sickness benefits for the past 12 months after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

A plumber by trade, his client had a good work history before the diagnosis and he was due to have an MRI scan next month after which, if given the all clear, he would be able to return to work, Mr Stainton said.

His client conceded he had “gone off the rails” somewhat since his diagnosis but was hoping to return to work soon, he submitted.

Magistrate Kay Ryan noted Esgate had been disqualified from driving for three months by the court on April 1 for a previous drug driving offence and that he had an earlier drug driving offence in 2018.

Ms Ryan placed him on nine months probation to include random testing for illicit drugs.

She also disqualified him from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for two years on the disqualified driving offence and for another six months on the drug driving charge.