Teen warned to get off marijuana

FOR an 18-year-old, Toowoomba man Thomas William Geitz had a “significant and serious” marijuana problem, a magistrate has told him.

“It’s concerning when someone who is only 18 years of age with the sort of drug history you’re developing,” Magistrate Catherine Pirie told the teenager.

Ms Pirie noted that the teenager’s criminal history was basically all to do with marijuana.

Police prosecutor Catherine Steele told Toowoomba Magistrates Court police on patrol had spotted Geitz run off from the footpath into a house on Helen St about 2.30pm, August 13, last year, and had followed him inside.

The teenager admitted ownership of a bag found in the lounge room that contained four plastic bags in which was a total 140g of marijuana, she said.

The teen told police the drug was for his own personal use, the court heard.

A police search of a Withcott residence at which the 18-yearold was at on September 7 had also found 9.7g of marijuana and a water pipe for smoking the drug which he admitted to.

Police had also found Geitz and four friends sitting around the same Withcott residence on October 26 where 9g of marijuana was found in two separate containers along with scissors, a grinder and digital scales associated with the drug.

Ms Steele said she understood all five people had been charged in relation to those items.

Geitz pleaded guilty to all eight charges arising from the drug and drug related items as well as to driving unlicensed on December 3, admitting to police he had never held a driver’s licence.

His solicitor Joe McConnell told the court his client had endured a difficult family life growing up and had little support as a teenager.

Magistrate Pirie noted Geitz had a previous drug driving offence on his traffic history but accepted he had co-operated with police and had co-operated with the courts in pleading guilty to all charges.

Because he was so young, the courts looked to the rehabilitation aspect of penalty but Ms Pirie warned the teenager he had to address his offending.

She placed Geitz on 18 months probation which would include random testing for illicit drugs and disqualified him from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for three months.