Joseph Alister Facer pleads guilty in Toowoomba Magistrates Court to crashing car, possessing drugs and a loaded shotgun

After slamming into a power pole and snapping it in two, police made an even more alarming discovery that saw Joseph Alister Facer charged with a number of serious offences.

A Toowoomba man found in possession of a loaded shotgun and a “significant” quantity of drugs after a high-speed crash has been jailed.

Police were called to the intersection of Tancred Ave and Tor Street about 3.25am on August 23 this year after Joseph Alister Facer crashed a car into a power pole.

The force of the crash snapped the power pole, and left the 25-year-old with a number of injuries, Toowoomba Magistrates Court was told on Tuesday.

Investigations into the crash also discovered what police prosecutor Anita Page described as a “significant” quantity of drugs, including methylamphetamine, buprenorphine and diazepam and of “particular concern” a loaded shotgun.

A man was under police guard at the Toowoomba hospital after he crashed into a power pole on Tor Street.

After he was taken to Toowoomba Hospital the court was told Facer refused to provide police with the PIN to his phone.

In total Facer pleaded guilty to 16 offences including driving without due care and attention, unlawful possession of a weapon, possessing dangerous drugs and contravening an order about information necessary to access information stored electronically.

Facer’s solicitor Claire Graham told the court that her client’s drug problem was reflected in his criminal history which was predominantly made up of drug and property offending.

Ms Graham said Facer was on a nine month probation order at the time of the offending and had been complying with the order’s requirements, as well as abstaining from drug use, but relationship problems saw him return to using methylamphetamine.

Joseph Alister Facer, 25, pleaded guilty in Toowoomba Magistrates Court to a number of offences after he crashed a car into a power pole while in possession of a loaded shotgun and "significant" quantity of drugs.

“He got a bit cocky because he had been off ice for some time, thought he could essentially dabble in it and he says it took hold of him (again) very very quickly,” Ms Graham said.

Describing his criminal history as “appalling”, magistrate Gary Finger said prison would be the court’s only option if he continued to offend.

“The possession of a shotgun in a car, that was loaded with ammunition would only lead to sinister things in my view,” the magistrate said.

“If you keep coming back for any of these offences, the first thing the court is going to think of is a term of imprisonment. If you want to go there, we’ll send you there.”

Facer was jailed for nine months, with a parole release date set on November 23. He was also fined $600, referred to SPER, and disqualified from holding a driver’s licence for five years and nine months.