‘Lucky’ Toowoomba offender handed a six month jail term

The “lucky” offender was handed a six-month jail term but it could have been far more serious.

The man was handed a six-month jail term but was told he was “lucky”.

A 36-YEAR-OLD man handed a six month jail term has been described as “lucky” by a Toowoomba magistrate.

Justin James Powell had just pleaded guilty before Toowoomba Magistrates Court to his 13th drug offence in the past five years.

Powell had been a passenger in a car pulled over by police in Kearneys Spring on July 19.

Looking fidgety he was search and police found a small clip seal bag with 0.36g of meth, the court heard.

A search of his criminal history found that he was just one day clear of a suspended jail term at the time.

“You’re lucky this was one day outside the suspended sentence,” Magistrates Kay Ryan told him.

Powell pleaded guilty to possessing a dangerous drug.

His solicitor Chelsea Saldumbide told the court her client had endured a difficult childhood having never known his biological father and he had been brought up by his mother and grandfather.

Sadly, her client’s mother died when he was 22 and he had become close to his grandfather who because his mentor and for whom he had been carer for the past four years, she said.

Unfortunately, her client’s grandfather died recently at age 92 and it had significantly effected him.

His grandfather had left him the house because Powell had been his carer but now his uncles were challenging the will, Ms Saldumbide said.

Magistrate Ryan sentenced Powell to six months in jail but ordered he be released on parole immediately.