Woman jailed on LSD and cannabis charges

Press, 19 April 1984, Page 4

Woman jailed on LSD and cannabis charges

A woman, who tried to hide 10 tickets of LSD down the front of her slacks when apprehended by the police in Slater Street, was jailed for 18 months by Mr Justice Roper in the High Court yesterday. Robyn Pamela Gurr, aged 32, a manageress, had pleaded guilty in the District Court to charges of possession of LSD, a class A drug, and cannabis, a classC drug, for supply on March 22.

The police statement said that Gurr was approached by the police as she left a car in Slater Street. She took something from her purse and put it down the front of her slacks. It was later found to be 10 tickets of LSD.

Plastic bags of cannabis were found in her handbag. Gurr told the police that she had been in possession of eight bags of cannabis and had sold five. She was in financial difficulties and was trying to make money. Mr M. J. Glue, for Gurr, said that his client had been realistic in pleading guilty

and saving the expense of a trial. He made a plea for leniency and endorsed the excellent probation report on “this unfortunate woman." While Gurr had been in trouble before this was her most serious offence. She was working as an agent and only had the drugs in her possession for a few hours. As her mortgage was in substantial arrears and her domestic affairs were chaotic she had embarked on the drug sales in the interests of the welfare of her young children. A woman of remarkable resilience Gurr had had more than her share of health problems. She was hard working and had done her best to provide for her children while becoming involved in some unfortunate male relationships. Gurr was a very small cog in the drug machine but she had learnt her lesson and would not become involved again with the sordid drug world. The probation report said

that Gurr was a woman who had battled through life coping with a multitude of problems. From poor health to financial difficulties she had normally shown resourcefulness and determination to struggle on. She deserved credit for that, said Mr Glue. Mr Justice Roper said that in 1981 Gurr was fined for cultivating cannabis and in 1983 she was put on probation for possession of the same drug. Only in January of this year she was ordered to do community service for cultivating and possession of cannabis. Two months later she committed the present offences. He had to agree with counsel that Gurr certainly had made an unfortunate choice of companion. He had made a plea for leniency.

“But I fear that you have exhausted the Court’s leniency. It is a sad case, primarily because of the effect on your children, but I have my duty to do and it is clear,” Mr Justice Roper said.