Big fine for ‘bush’ cannabis offence
A man caught with a “concerning” amount of cannabis during a routine traffic stop on the Bruce Highway north of Townsville has fronted court.
Zepplin Kurt Healey, 22, from Charters Towers, pleaded guilty in the Ingham Magistrates Court to possessing the dangerous drug when his dualcab utility vehicle was stopped at Yaruga just after midnight on March 13.
He also pleaded guilty for subsequently failing to report to Ingham Police as required between March 13 and March 23.
Queensland Police prosecutor Ali Syiyaad said during the routine traffic stop, “police formed a reasonable suspicion that he was in possession of cannabis and he was subsequently detained for the purposes of a search”.
He said the search uncovered a large clip-seal bag containing 46.5 grams of cannabis.
Mr Syiyaad said the defendant also admitted to smoking cannabis within 24 hours prior to driving.
Healey has not been charged with drug driving.
Defence lawyer Margaret Crowther said her client had been working at Mount Isa as a mineworker but was not currently employed.
She said Healey was a certified medicinal cannabis user but conceded the marijuana seized in the traffic stop was “bush cannabis”, not medicinal cannabis.
Ms Crowther said the cannabis helped her client deal with past trauma as well as attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and chronic insomnia.
Regarding the failing to report charge, she said her client simply forgot.
Magistrate Steven Mosch said the amount of cannabis seized was “concerning”, although the marijuana was for personal use.
Healey was fined $1000 on both counts. No convictions were recorded.