Borrowed tracksuit lands repeat offender back in jail

A TOOWOOMBA man who has spent most of his adult life in jail has been returned to prison after being found with a small amount of drugs that he claims were not actually his.

Jason Luke Lander had spent more than six months out of prison and doing well on parole, the longest stint he’d spent back in the community for some years, his solicitor Brad Skuse explained to Toowoomba Magistrates Court.

As part of his release conditions, the 34-year-old had been wearing an ankle bracelet at the time but after an argument with his mother, he had contacted the monitoring authorities to say he was spending the night at a friend’s place, the court heard.

However, when police arrived at that friend’s place to arrest him, Lander had grabbed a tracksuit to put on and accompanied police to the Toowoomba watch house.

It was during a routine patdown search at the watch house that the track suit he was wearing was found to have two clip seal plastic bags, one in the hoodie and one in a pocket, which contained less than 1g of ice in total, Mr Skuse said.

Lander pleaded guilty to possessing the drug and was returned to prison from where he appeared by video link before the court.

He had a full-time release date on his current sentence in June next year, the court heard.

Magistrate Kay Ryan noted Lander had a lengthy criminal history but nothing for drugs in the past five years and fined him $400, which was immediately referred to SPER (State Penalties Enforcement Registry).

However, the 34-year-old would remain in custody on his previous sentence.

“It will be up to the Parole Board now when you are released,” Ms Ryan told Lander.