Electrician just a liar: magistrate

A TOWNSVILLE electrician has been branded a “liar”and urged to turn his life around by a magistrate.

Johnathon Allan Leonardi pleaded guilty to nine charges, including driving without a prescribed interlock, possessing dangerous drugs, possessing explosives and failing to dispose of syringes.

On July 30, Leonardi was caught driving without his court-ordered interlock and recorded a blood-alcohol reading of .098.

Three clipseal bags with a crystal substance inside were also found.

Police searched Leonardi’s home and car on August 12 and found a bullet on the floor of his car.

In his home, officers found 200 clipseal bags and a set of scales hidden inside a speaker.

Police prosecutor Nikki Hui said Leonardi first told police his nephews must have put the items in there, before admitting had done it to “hide (the items) from his nephews”.

Leonardi claimed the 200 clipseal bags were used to keep “tiny screws” inside.

Magistrate Ross Mack said Leonardi must be the “unluckiest” man to be pulled over by police so often, and said “nobody” had believed his claims about the screws.

Defence lawyer Richard Scholl said Leonardi’s offending was “trivial”, and the only reason his client had been driving without an interlock was to keep the car running.

Mr Mack said Leonardi seemed to have an answer for everything, and he proved to be “just a liar” every time he was caught.

Leonardi was fined a total of $2050, ordered to complete 75 hours of community service and disqualified from driving for three months.