Sticky-fingered drug dealer cops huge fine
A YOUNG Toowoomba man has found himself in trouble with the law for committing a number of unrelated crimes, including dealing drugs to his friends and a mate’s mother.
On February 10, Nicholas Darren Quinn faced Toowoomba Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to selling cannabis, stealing $960 from the till of a regional pub, and causing $1300 in damages to a unit complex’s pool fence at Mudgeeraba.
Police prosecutor Bettina Trenear said the 19-year-old’s small-time dealing business came to the attention of police after officers pulled Quinn’s car over on Boyd St for a licence check in early January.
She said officers became suspicious and searched Quinn’s car.
After they located an unusual bundle of cash, Quinn told officers if they searched his phone they would find evidence of drug sales. Quinn quickly handed over the PIN to his phone, and later officers found six messages relating to the sale of small amounts of cannabis.
Ms Trenear said on one occasion, a Snapchat message showed Quinn sold a “stick” to one of his friends for $50.
The court was told Quinn used the money to fund his own drug habit.
In relation to the stealing charge, Ms Trenear said when Quinn was drinking at the Pittsworth Hotel Motel on June 16, he was caught on CCTV stealing from the till on a number of occasions.
Ms Trenear said the remaining wilful damage charge happened at Quinn’s dad’s place, where he broke into a closed-off communal pool area, damaging the pool fence in the process.
Quinn was sentenced to a 12-month probation order and ordered to pay $2260 in damages.