Drug user avoids jail time

A YOUNG man making yet another appearance in court on drug charges has avoided a jail sentence.

“He just likes smoking pot,” defence lawyer Darren Robinson told the Ingham Magistrates Court on September 2 after client Larry William Ghelfi, 20, pleaded guilty to two cannabis-related charges.

It was Ghelfi’s fifth appearance on drug charges in the same court in 13 months.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Erin Collis said the two charges, namely possessing cannabis and seeds, and possessing a water pipe and scales were the result of an Ingham police search of Ghelfi’s home on July 7.

She said 65 grams of cannabis, 117 seeds, a glass bong and two sets of digital scales were seized during the police raid on the Ingham address.

Constable Collis said Ghelfi was serving a communitybased order at the time of the offences.

A Corrective Services Officer told the court that Ghelfi was engaged with the court order but was not addressing the core root of his offending, which was drug abuse.

The officer said the defendant would not be suitable for an extension of the order given his continued offending.

Mr Robinson said his client was now prepared to “undertake any program that may be available to … assist with his substance abuse”.

“He just likes smoking pot Your Honour, it’s as simple as that,” he said.

Acting Magistrate Scott Luxton sentenced Ghelfi to 12 months’ probation with a condition that he underwent drug counselling and submitted to urine testing.