Woman ends night on town with climb on to museum’s roof
AN Education Queensland worker who used scaffolding to scale the Museum of Tropical Queensland’s roof was looking for a “quiet place to talk”.
Natasha Louise Neilsen, 28, had enjoyed a Saturday night out on the town on Flinders St.
The Townsville Magistrates Court heard that at 3.50am on February 10 this year, Townsville Citysafe CCTV cameras caught Neilsen and a male companion climbing on the museum’s roof.
They were asked police and complied.
Police prosecutor Len Brown told the court Neilsen told police she used a shopping trolley to climb over to descend by the museum’s construction fence.
Mr Brown said Neilsen was taken to the Townsville City police station, where she was interviewed and revealed she was in possession of contraband.
“She was questioned in regards why she was on top of the roof and she said she just wanted to go somewhere quiet to talk,” he said.
“(She) was asked if she had anything on her that she shouldn’t. She nodded her head ... and she said she had an MDMA capsule in her wallet.”
Neilsen pleaded guilty to one count of possessing dangerous drugs and one count of trespass.
Defence lawyer Merinda Greenwood told the court her client had worked for Education Queensland for seven years and presented a letter of apology from Neilsen.
She said Neilsen had never been in trouble with the law before and asked Magistrate Ross Mack not to record a conviction as it could be “detrimental” to her career prospects.
Neilsen was given a $500 recognisance for six months.
Convictions were not recorded.