DRUG DRIVER BUSTED CHARGING PHONE

A TOOWOOMBA teenager’s view of an afternoon sunset was soured when he was caught after smoking three cones of marijuana behind the wheel of his car.

Liam John Pember appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty and was convicted of drug driving and contravening a direction or requirement of police.

The court was told the 19year-old and a second person were found by police at 5.10pm on August 2 this year on the private driveway of a vacant block of land in an industrial area near Baillie Henderson Hospital.

Police prosecutor Cameron Francis said Pember was in the driver’s seat with the ignition on while charging his phone and he told police that he had driven to the lookout area where he had smoked three cones of marijuana.

The roadside drug test returned a positive result and further analysis confirmed the presence of THC in Pember’s system.

Mr Francis said Pember was issued with a minor drug diversion program attendance notice, and given an appointment date however he failed to comply with the requirement.

Magistrate Graham Lee fined Pember $500, and he was disqualified from driving for three months.