Teenager ordered to forfeit $900 and cannabis stash to police

A TEENAGER found with 45g of cannabis and $900 cash has been ordered by a Toowoomba court to forfeit both.

Police who arrived to search the Newtown home of Courtney-Zara Lee Pratt about 6.30am, May 26, found her and her partner in bed, Toowoomba Magistrates Court was told.

In her bedroom police found 45g of green leafy material, which the 19-year-old said was her cannabis, and $900 cash beside the cannabis and her mobile phone.

Pratt told police she had won the $900 on the pokies at the Southern Hotel but when asked if she had any proof of that she said “no” and that in fact she had won $200, police prosecutor Bettina Trenear told the court.

Police checks with Southern Hotel staff confirmed the teen had won $200 and not $900 which police suspected was proceeds of drug activity.

Pratt pleaded guilty to possessing a dangerous drug and possessing property suspected of being proceeds of an offence under the Drugs Misuse Act.

Her solicitor Joe Millican said his client had co-operated with police and when asked for her mobile phone she had provided the PIN.

The teenager was working and had started her own online business of providing pet products which she made herself, Mr Millican said.

For possessing the cannabis, Magistrate Damian Carroll placed Pratt on a four-month good behaviour bond to include a drug diversion session.

For the proceeds offence, Mr Carroll fined Pratt $300 and ordered she forfeit the $900 to the Crown.