Man in bags of strife

Drug charges laid but bail is denied by magistrate

A MAN who asked to bring his backpack to the police watch-house after being arrested has been denied bail after officers allegedly found meth and LSD inside it.

Concreter Takiddo Towa Lenny-Lee Savage, 29, had allegedly breached his bail and failed to appear in court on other charges and was being arrested at an Edmonton residence in Rigg St on Sunday night by officers from the

Cairns Property Crime

Squad.

Police have alleged he asked to bring his bag with him to the watch-house and when they searched it they found 8g of methylamphetamines and some tabs of LSD inside.

Savage appeared in the Cairns Magistrates Court yesterday charged with 18 offences linked to both the drug possession and other offences he had been on bail for.

He was remanded in custody with acting Magistrate

Scott Luxton deeming him an unacceptable risk of release amid concerns he may commit further offences, the seriousness of the charges, the strength of the case and his criminal history, which he described as “appalling”.

“(The drug possession) is a very serious charge given the quantity of the drugs which were alleged to have been found in your possession,” acting Magistrate Luxton said.

The court heard the substances found within the bag had been sent for analysis, which may take up to three months.

Defence solicitor Vince Knox said his client had alleged the 8g was not meth, but a “cutting agent”.

He said if granted bail his client would have been able to live with his mother and report to police twice a week.

Among the other charges he faced was the alleged theft of a car from Bentley Park on November 29, burglary at Westcourt on December 14 and the theft of fuel from

Cairns North on December 1.

The case was adjourned until February 12.

Savage is charged with stealing, failing to appear, unlawful possession of suspect stolen property, entering a premises and two counts each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, possession of a dangerous drug and contravening a domestic violence order.