Parole for man guilty of drug offences

A MAN who tried to take ice and marijuana into the Townsville courthouse on the morning his friend was due to be sentenced to jail, has been spared any time in prison.

Ben Goulder, 27, entered the District and Supreme Court on July 19 last year and, following protocol, security staff asked to search his bag.

Goulder said he had a knife in the bag and tried to take it back, but a security officer opened it and saw five suspicious filled balloons. The balloons contained 3.023g of high- purity crystal methamphetamine, marijuana, empty clip- seal bags, a needle, a straw and a cigarette lighter.

Goulder pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court in Townsville yesterday to 10 offences, including possessing drugs.

Crown prosecutor Shannon Sutherland said as Goulder’s friend was due to be sentenced to jail, she suspected he was trying to pass the drugs on to be smuggled into custody.

Defence barrister Scott Geeves did not challenge that.

Five days earlier, Goulder’s home at Hawkins Creek, near Ingham, was searched and police found an illegal air rifle and drug paraphernalia. On July 22 last year, his car was stopped and police found two clip- seal bags of amphetamine.

Mr Geeves said Goulder worked as a pipe layer for five years until he suffered a workrelated back injury in late 2011.

He received a payout and did not work for two years.

“He was struggling quite a bit with his ( methylamphetamine) use … he considers himself now to be, and I’m using his words, clean,” he said.

Justice David North said Goulder had previous convictions and repeatedly committed drug offences last year. He was sentenced to 18 months’ jail.

“Not without hesitation, and rather reluctantly, I have decided to accede to the submission made by your counsel to order your immediate parole release,” he said. Goulder had spent no time in custody.