Magistrate Fiona McCarron has told a Parkes man that he needs to have a job so he doesn't sit around smoking drugs.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Magistrate McCarron made the comment when she was considering his punishment for a drug driving offence.
Matthew Grant Ingram (19) of Webb Street, Parkes, was before Parkes Local Court on Monday, February 3, charged with drive motor vehicle with illicit drug (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) present in blood etc - prior offence - at Parkes on October 12, 2019.
According to police facts tendered in court Ingram, driving a blue Holden Commodore, was stopped by police in Welcome Street at around 6pm on Saturday, October 12, 2019.
Police noticed that the vehicle had a flat tyre and stopped Ingram to inspect it for further defective faults.
Ingram got out of the driver's seat and instantly became aggressive towards police.
Ingram was asked to produce his licence which he was unable to do, stating "I left it at home but I have a copy of it on my phone".
Ingram continued to be aggressive, yelling out loudly in an offensive manner.
Police warned him to stop his use of offensive language and he complied.
Ingram was subjected to a roadside breath test which returned a negative result.
A roadside drug test returned a positive result to cannabis.
Ingram was arrested for the purpose of a secondary drug test.
He attempted to walk away saying "I'm over this shit".
Police then placed him in the police vehicle.
He was taken to Parkes Police Station where a Drager test also returned a positive result for cannabis.
In relation to taking drugs Ingram told police "I smoked it last night before I went to bed."
Representing Ingram, Aboriginal Legal Service solicitor Vinith Vijay told the court he would be directing his submissions towards his client's need to keep his licence.
"He made admissions to driving with an illicit substance in his system, he made admissions to smoking it the night before," Mr Vijay said.
"He's told me that he has issues with anxiety and he has had issues with ADHD in his childhood as well.
"He does feel remorse to some degree in terms of his initial reaction to police at the time."
Magistrate McCarron told the court Ingram's record doesn't elicit any sympathy in relation to her exercising her discretion.
"If you don't have a licence it makes it extremely difficult for you to stay out of trouble.
"You were before the court in relation to a similar matter relatively recently and the court allowed you to complete the merit program which you did and you were allowed to keep your licence.
"I am not in the position to do that today.
"You have blatantly disregarded the court orders, you are on a bond until March in relation to an exact same offence."
Magistrate McCarron disqualified Ingram from driving for three months and fined him $400.