Luke Leo Hodgetts: Launceston man guilty of 13 offences

A gutter cleaner who was “controlled” by his addiction, with guilty pleas to 13 offences just the latest chapter in his sorry tale, has managed to turn his life around, a court has heard.

A Tasmanian addict and drug dealer busted behind the wheel with a “cocktail” of five different illicit substances in his system among 12 other offences has turned his life around, his lawyer told a court.

Ravenswood man Luke Leo Hodgetts, 33, pleaded guilty in Launceston Magistrates Court on Tuesday to 13 offences.

They included selling and possessing drugs, possessing a knife in a public place, drug driving, disqualified driving and driving while unlicensed.

On July 31, 2020, Hodgetts was pulled over on Launceston’s Boland St, where he was discovered driving unlicensed, in possession of cannabis and with five different drugs, MDMA, MDA, cannabis, cocaine and methamphetamine, in his system.

On November 9, 2020, he was busted on Farraday St at Ravenswood driving while disqualified by a court order, in possession of cannabis, and with meth and cannabis in his system.

Finally, on January 28 last year, Hodgetts was arrested in relation to an unrelated matter.

On his possession included a multipurpose tool with knife, a satchel bag containing cash, a tick sheet, five-zip lock bags containing a total of 9.9g of meth, two zip-lock bags containing a total of 7g of cannabis, seven strips of buprenorphine, and a mobile phone with incriminating messages.

Defence lawyer Mark Doyle told the court his client was a “longstanding” drug addict whose addiction “controlled his criminal behaviours for a long period of time”, leading to a lengthy criminal history.

However, after Hodgetts’ last arrest, he and his family moved to Queensland so he could beat his addictions, Mr Doyle said.

“He recognised... he needed distance from his associates,” Mr Doyle said.

“It was too difficult (to get clean) while in a small community.”

Upon arriving in Queensland, Hodgetts checked himself into a rehab facility, which he completed successfully.

The family then returned back to Tasmania for Hodgetts to answer the outstanding charges, Mr Doyle said.

He has been engaged with support services since his return, he wants to be proactive,” Mr Doyle said.

“He’s turned his life around.

“The resolution of these matters marks the end of his criminal behaviour.”

The court heard Hodgetts was throwing himself into his employment as a gutter cleaner and had also started his own side business in the field.

Magistrate Ken Stanton disqualified Hodgetts from driving for 10 months, imprisoned him for fourth months, wholly suspended for an operational period of 12 months, and ordered he pay $457.20 in costs and levies.