Party led to night to forget

Drunken teenager found with marijuana in his pocket

GOING down town after celebrating a friend’s birthday proved a very wrong decision for a Toowoomba teenager.

Caleb William Shepherd had enjoyed pre-18th birthday drinks at a friend’s place before heading to a CBD hotel late on September 16, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

Having entered the hotel, the 19-year-old was ultimately approached by police and arrested, the court heard.

However, when taken to the police van he became uncooperative and struggled with officers placing him in the vehicle, police prosecutor Sergeant Mike Robinson told the court.

At the watch house he was breath-tested as part of police health and safety procedures and returned a breath/alcohol reading of 0.245.

During a pat-down search of his clothing prior to being placed in the watch house police found a tin of “green leafy material” in the 19-year-old’s front trousers pocket, Sgt Robinson said.

The weight of the marijuana and tin was 55g, he said.

Shepherd pleaded guilty to obstructing police within the vicinity of a licensed premises while adversely affected by alcohol and possessing a dangerous drug.

His solicitor Claire Graham said her client wouldn’t normally react as he did with police but at the time he didn’t know why the officers wanted to speak with him.

As a result of his arrest, her client had spent eight hours in the watch house, she said.

Magistrate Robert Walker ordered the convictions not be recorded but placed Shepherd on a four month good behaviour bond to include a drug education session and ordered he do the mandatory minimum 40 hours community service.