Teen warned to get away from cannabis or face harsher penalties

He had copped a $1000 fine the last time he was in court but the magistrate deemed a term of probation would be a better penalty this time around.

The teenager was placed on probation in order to get help to free himself from drug use.

A Toowoomba teenager with a penchant for cannabis use has been handed probation to give him the chance of getting away from drugs or face harsher penalties.

Lachlan Thomas Ryan had been fined $1000 in Toowoomba Magistrates Court in October last year after pleaded guilty to producing and possessing cannabis, the same court heard.

However, just two months later on December 5, police had attended his Harristown home where the 19-year-old had refused police entry, holding the door shut against officers while yelling “F*** off, you’re not coming in without a warrant”.

A push and shove had ensued at the door during which a police man had his hand jammed in the door before police gained access to the house, police prosecutor Chris Willson told the court.

During a subsequent search of the house, police found used water pipes for smoking cannabis, two grinders and a pair of scissors for cutting up cannabis leaf and digital scales for weighing the drug.

Senior Constable Willson said the next day police returned to the same house to find a group of males sitting at a table on which were two used water pipes and a strong smell of cannabis in the air.

Police found 4.5g of cannabis in three clip seal bags, scissors for chopping cannabis leaf and scales for weighing the drug, he said.

Ryan had also been found with 7.6g of cannabis when spoken to by police on Taylor St on December 5, he said.

Ryan pleaded guilty to all charges.

Acting Magistrate Roger Stark ordered the convictions not be recorded and placed Ryan on 12 months probation to include random testing for illicit drugs.