Drug charge remands

Press, 16 June 1979, Page 4

Drug charge remands

Three men charged with I possessing cannabis resin for (sale were remanded in cus- | tody by Mr P. J. McAloon, ■iS.M., when they appeared in 'the .Magistrate’s Court J yesterday. I They are Stephen Patrick (Smith, aged IS, a partsman; i Kevin Bruce Tucker, aged 122, a factory worker; and (Terrence William Levava(sour. aged 19. a factory I hand. i It is alleged that the offences were committed on June 14. Smith is also, charged with possessing a glass pipe for the purpose of the commit sion of an offence against the Misuse of Drugs • Act, and with stealing a wallet and contents, valued, at $l,O. i No pleas were entered by the three defendants. .$2OOO BAIL Bail was set at $2OOO for Thomas O’Donoghue follow-! ing his conviction on three! drug charges. O’Donoghue, aged 22, u n e m p 1 o y e d , admitted charges of cultivating cannabis, possessing cannabis, and of possessing cannabis seeds. Sergeant G. C. Jones said on April 11 a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s address, O’Donoghue was present at the time. Found at . the address was cannabis vegetation, 497 cannabis seeds in a hot-

I water cupboard, and 19 cani nabis plants growing in an 'aluminium foil-lined ward- ! robe. Sergeant Jones said the total number of seeds found was 507, and that the . total weight of the, cannabis was 115.1 grams. In explanation the defendant had. told the police that the drug was for his own use, said the sergeant. O’Donoghue was remanded to June 22 for a probation report and sentence. RECEIVING CHARGE An unemployed man charged with receiving electrical equipment worth $l4OO was remanded to June The man, who was granted interim suppression of his name, is alleged to have committed the offence between April 4 and June 11. The property he is alleged to have received includes a stereo amplifier, stereo speakers, stereo turntable, and a magnetic cartridge. He was allowed bail of $l2OO and ordered to report daily to the police. FRAUD OFFENCES A solo mother, who. with intent to defraud, used two bank withdrawal forms to obtain a total of $l3OO, was placed on probation for 12

I months and ordered to undertake 200 hours of community' wo k. Sandra Elizabeth I Wakefield, aged 24, was (earlier convicted on one I charge of receiving a bank (book and two charges of fraud. The Magistrate said the; (defendant had used the (money to continue her drug (habit which had been cost-! ing about $l2O a day. ' 1 “I hope you realise the se(riousness of what you have (done, the large amount of (money involved, and even if (it is your first offence, how (close you came to going to (prison,” he said. ( ' While accepting that the defendant had stayed off drugs for a month the; (Magistrate said this was not I (a very long time. He ordered that as part of | the probation the take treatment for ! drug; abuse as directed by the' probation officer. The Magistrate made no order as to compensation.