Drug smuggler free PNG man out on good behaviour bond

A PAPUA New Guinea national who smuggled cannabis into a Torres Strait Island with the intention of selling it “to buy bread and butter” has avoided further jail time.

Willie Jimmy, 35, travelled from Papua New Guinea to Saibai Island by boat in July 2012 where he imported “five rolls” of cannabis, selling one to another man.

Prosecutor Gary Prior yesterday told the Cairns Magistrates Court it was a “minor sale” and Jimmy told police the “the remaining cannabis was use for himself”.

The court heard Jimmy then returned to Saibai Island on December 27 last year, where two parcels of cannabis was found in the boat he was travelling in.

“The defendant made multiple spontaneous submissions admissions saying to police … ‘I’ll be smuggling smoko to buy bread and butter, I don’t sell the big stuff’,” Mr Prior told the court.

Legal Aid Queensland solicitor Trish Price said Jimmy admitted to a 110g parcel being his own, but claimed the other 600g parcel belonged to the people he was travelling with.

“His role was that he knew that the drugs were on board the boat … they weren’t his but nevertheless he participated in bringing them across,” Ms Price said.

At the island, Jimmy attended a party where he drank two bottles of rum.

He then broke into a nearby home with two others, stealing alcohol and other items before returning to the party and drinking further.

The court heard Jimmy then returned to the jetty “heavily intoxicated” where he threatened a female police liaison officer with a rock, before confronting a male officer while armed with two machetes a short time later.

Jimmy pleaded guilty to one count each of importing and exporting border controlled drugs or border controlled plants, possessing dangerous drugs, supplying dangerous drugs, enter dwelling and commit indictable offence, and failure to appear in accordance with undertaking, and two counts of serious assault.

He appeared before the court with no previous Queensland criminal history.

Magistrate Allan Comans granted Jimmy immediate release after having already spent 73 days in custody in relation to the matters.

He also implemented an 18-month good behaviour bond and two $500 suspended fines.

Jimmy will now be in the hands of immigration.