Licence check leads to second strike for drugs

A MAN who has previously been convicted of trafficking drugs was caught with ice during a licence check in Kirwan.

Police were doing road patrols on Thursday at 11am when they saw Colin Scott Gray, 36, pull up at a shopping centre carpark.

Prosecutor Tim Wise told the Townsville Magistrates Court yesterday that a con- stable asked Gray for his driver’s licence.

“The defendant said he didn’t have his wallet on him and was visibly shaking when handing paperwork to ( police),” he said. “When asked what he was doing at the shops he said he was buying food.

“When asked how he was doing this without a wallet, the defendant couldn’t answer and became nervous.”

Mr Wise said Gray’s “ner- vous behaviour” caused police to form a reasonable suspicion that he had drugs.

They searched Gray and found a packet of white crystals in his pocket. He told police it was half a gram of ice.

Police also found drug- related text messages on his phone. Gray pleaded guilty in court yesterday to possessing drugs and possessing a mobile phone and clip seal bags for drug offending.

Defence solicitor Andrew Peel said although Gray was convicted of trafficking in the Supreme Court, that offending happened more than nine years ago, in 2008.

Gray was last year convicted of assault or obstruct police and was on bail at the time of his arrest on Thursday.

Acting Magistrate Richard Lehrmann ordered Gray pay a $ 1500 fine.

A conviction was recorded.