Lure of ice too strong for woman to get bail

A DRYSDALE woman was refused bail yesterday because a magistrate doubted her ability to shake her drug addiction.

Carissa Guthrie, 38, was allegedly caught by police with drugs in the car park of Buckleys hotel in Breakwater on Sunday night, and fronted the Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Magistrate Gregory McNamara said the woman “seems to be very dependent on ice”. He said if she was released on bail there was a high risk she would be using the drug again and getting into more trouble.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Kylie Jane told the court police found Ms Guthrie in her car in the car at Buckley’s about 11.30pm Sunday. A search of the car allegedly turned up about 3.5g of ecstasy, 5.1g of cannabis, a small quantity of methylamphetamine, $220 cash, deal bags and scales.

The woman told them she had won the money gambling, but was charged with trafficking ecstasy, and other drug offences.

Sen-Constable Jane told the court similar charges were laid against the woman in June after she was arrested in the same car. The court was told she was also planning to plead guilty to charges from a car crash in Corio in March.

The court was told it was Ms Guthrie’s first stint in custody and it had been an eyeopener. “I’d be happy to quit. I just need somebody to believe in me,” Ms Guthrie said from the dock.

But Mr McNamara, refusing her bail request, said he was unconvinced.

“It’s easy to say, it’s very hard to do. Most people do (want to overcome addiction),” he said.

She is scheduled to reappear in court tomorrow.