Harristown man sentenced in Toowoomba Magistrates Court for drug misuse

Wandering the streets alone, two children unintentionally led police to discover potentially dangerous drug paraphernalia in a suburban home.

Picture: Kevin Farmer

A man who evaded police detection for nearly a decade finally faced punishment for leaving potentially dangerous items near wandering children.

The 43-year-old Harristown man pleaded guilty to failing to properly dispose of a needle and syringe and contravening a police direction, eight years after police caught him with a used needle in the presence of two young children.

Police had arrived at the man’s address after hearing reports a two-year-old and three-year-old child were wandering nearby roads unaccompanied by an adult.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Natalie Bugden said police observed the children entering a Harristown home.

“Police gained entry to check on their welfare … (where they) observed in clear view a used hypodermic syringe and needle sitting on the table within the dwelling’s living room,” Sergeant Bugden said.

“(The defendant) stated the syringe was his and he had used it in the past to inject ice and meth.”

The man was then asked to provide identifying particulars to police within seven days, but did not comply.

Eight years later, police located the man in a Wilsonton Dan Murphy’s store where they discovered he was wanted for these offences.

“He stated he could not recall why he failed to attend,” Sergeant Bugden said.

Solicitor Brad Skuse from Skuse Graham Criminal Lawyers told the court his client had relocated shortly after the incident.

“He has instructed he remained offence free (since 2016),” Mr Skuse said.

Magistrate Michelle Dooley acknowledged the man’s lack of criminal history with his last offence dating back to 2008.

“It’s good to see you have not been back before the courts again,” she said.

She fined the man a total of $300 for both offences.

No convictions were recorded.