Fishing knife in handbag
‘Foolish’ decision fears
A GOLD Coast mum who brought a fishing knife to the courthouse was “terrified” her foolish decision could jeopardise her career.
Kristy Lee Slack pleaded guilty at Southport Magistrates Court to weapon possession in public after she was stopped by security at the same courthouse on November 16.
Police prosecutor Qin Li said officers were called to the Southport Courthouse entrance after reports a weapon had been confiscated from a visitor.
Court staff discovered the knife in Slack’s handbag through the X-ray machine while she was walking through the metal detector.
When questioned, the 42year-old told police she knew it was illegal to have a weapon in public, and that she had been “meaning to give it back” to its rightful owner.
Defence lawyer Lisa Searing, of Allen and Searing Criminal Lawyers, said there was no “malicious intention” behind her client’s offending.
“(Slack) had been fishing with her cousin two days prior, he left the fishing knife in the car,” the solicitor said.
“She was here to support a friend at court, knew she was going to see her cousin afterwards, and put the knife in her handbag.”
The court heard the weapon fell to the bottom of Slack’s bag, she had forgot about it and “foolishly tried to walk through security” with it.
Ms Searing said Slack had worked for the past five years as a carer, as well as supporting her two teenage children as a single mum.
The defence requested the magistrate’s discretion, citing fears a conviction could threaten Slack’s blue card.
“She’s terrified that a conviction (may) be recorded today,” Ms Searing said.
Magistrate Dzenita Balic accepted there was no “sinister” intention behind Slack’s offending, but said it was “significant” she’d tried to bring a weapon into the court building. The magistrate said Slack’s criminal record was “quite limited”, therefore imposing a fine of $200. No conviction was recorded.