Veteran dodges jail
HE WAS once a role model for wounded veterans coping with PTSD and standing shoulder to shoulder with Prince Harry.
But Invictus Games athlete and Cairns business owner Tyrone Gawthorne was disgraced when a police pat-down last year revealed nearly two ounces of cocaine stashed in his underwear and synthetic steroids secreted in his ute.
Yesterday, Gawthorne, 37, returned to Cairns to face the music in Cairns Supreme Court for drugs and weapons offences to which he had previously pleaded guilty.
The court heard Gawthorne was pulled over at Mooroobool on September 17, 2018.
A police search found a black glove holding two sealed packs of cocaine stuffed into his underwear.
Crown prosecutor Patrick Nevard told the court Gawthorne initially feigned ignorance.
“He said he had never seen that before, it’s astonishing,” Mr Nevard said.
The two packs of cocaine were each “alarmingly close” to commercial quantities, with a street value, if sold in 1g portions, of up to $29,500.
The court heard the ute held portions of synthetic steroids, known as SARMs, destined for addresses in Townsville and Hope Island, and instructions “about doing performance enhancing drugs”.
Officers also found two lever actioned rifles unsecured in the ute’s cab.
A search of Gawthorne’s house later revealed further steroids including testosterone and drugs to counter the effects of a doping cycle.
“He said he was holding them for someone else, he would use them after the Invictus Games,” Mr Nevard said. “There was a motive to lie – as to whether he was a drug cheat.”
The court heard Gawthorne had been self-medicating with cocaine for PTSD and depression, stemming from psychological and physical scars from active service in East Timor and Afghanistan.
“Cocaine gave him drive,” Anthony Kimmins, defending, said.
Justice Jim Henry jailed Gawthorne for two years but released him on parole and fined him $5000 in lieu of three months in custody.