Cody Justin White faces Toowoomba Magistrates Court for drug, property offences

With a history of property and drug offences, a Toowoomba man feared what police would think if he handed in a set of keys he found, so he held on to them, and saw him charged with stealing.

After finding a set of keys at a Toowoomba ATM, a man held onto them for fear of what police might think if he handed them in.

With a lengthy criminal history of drug and property offences, Cody Justin White didn’t know what to do when he found the keys that were left behind at a Toowoomba ATM on April 25, 2022, the city’s magistrates court was told.

Rather than make any efforts to return the items, fearing what police might think if he did hand them in, he instead gave them to his girlfriend at the time, who then subsequently lost them, the court was told.

Cody Justin White, 36, faced Toowoomba Magistrates Court on June 27 where he pleaded guilty to a number of offences, including stealing, possessing dangerous drugs and public nuisance.

The 36-year-old appeared in court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to stealing, as well as a number of unrelated charges including possessing dangerous drugs, unlawful possession of restricted drugs, possessing property suspected of having been used in connection with the commission of a drug offence and public nuisance.

Police prosecutor Leea Trewin said White’s offending was aggravated by his 12 page criminal history, littered with drug and property offences, and the fact that he was on parole at the time.

White’s solicitor Alysha Jacobsen said her client was generally employed helping friends with various projects, and was volunteering his time as a handyman to a Toowoomba motor inn.

The court was told White began using drugs at age 21 which had grown into daily use, but he was seeking counselling to address his substance abuse.

Describing the offence as “opportunistic”, magistrate Louise Shephard sentenced White to six months jail, entirely suspended for 18 months, as well as 18 months probation. Convictions were recorded.