Passed out ice addict’s car blocks ramp

A SELF-CONFESSED meth addict was arrested for drugdriving and drug possession after he was caught asleep in his car blocking a Burdekin boat ramp.

The Ingham Magistrates Court was told that the incident occurred during a lowpoint in the man’s life, but he had begun turning his life around.

Gregory Brian Michael Hyde, 57, pleaded guilty to two counts of trespass, one count of possessing methamphetamine and two counts of driving while the dangerous drug was present in his saliva or blood.

All of the offences occurred in the Burdekin between February 1 and March 21.

Police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Felicity Nalder said the trespass charges related to Hyde attempting to enter a shed on a private property in Ayr and writing an abusive note and taping it on a fence outside the same home.

She said there were reports of a vehicle illegally parked at the Plantation Creek Boat Ramp on February 20.

“Police located the vehicle in the single lane at the turn area, the driver, the defendant, said he was tired and having a sleep, he was in the middle of the road with his keys in the ignition, he was trying to find his keys, but police had already removed them.”

Sergeant Nalder said police also recovered 0.9 grams of ice during a body search.

The final charge, drug-driving, occurred in Ayr on February 20, which had triggered an automatic driving disqualification.

Defence lawyer Margaret Crowther presented documents to the court showing Hyde had been successfully engaging with an addiction treatment program past two months.

She said at the time of the offending, Hyde, who has significantly impaired hearing, and his partner and children were homeless after being evicted from their home.

The trespass charges related to an attempt, albeit without the consent of the property owner, to retrieve belongings, she said.

Magistrate Scott Luxton commended Hyde for turning his life around since moving to Ingham. Hyde was fined $900 and disqualified from driving for nine months.

Convictions were recorded. for the