A North Albury man had both cannabis and methamphetamine in his system when he went driving with a laser pointer in his car.
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The laser was deemed a prohibited weapon as despite costing very little, Adam Paul Kirby would have still been able to distract airline pilots.
Magistrate Chris McRobert asked whether the laser would have been an issue in the Albury area, to which defence solicitor Tim Hemsley said there were only the Sydney-Albury-Melbourne flight paths.
The fact though that Kirby was driving after using drugs, especially “ice”, was extremely concerning for Mr McRobert when he dealt with the case in Albury Local Court.
Mr McRobert questioned why someone such as Kirby who had mental issues was using the drug.
“I’m tired of saying this but I’ll say this again,” he said when sentencing the 38-year-old.
“Crystal meth’ is a drug which is proven – not just thought – but proven to cause brain damage.”
Mr McRobert said he just did not understand why anyone “with any sense” would use “ice”.
He said it was a blunt message, but nevertheless someone who used the drug was “a complete idiot”.
Mr McRobert criticised Kirby for being happy to take money from taxpayers to live, only to use this “to purchase drugs”.
Regarding the laser, Mr Hemsley said Kirby bought the item “in good faith” for $6 from a website based in China.
The court was told that Kirby, of North Albury, came to the attention of police when he was involved in a car crash at the corner of Logan and Waugh roads on May 22 about 1.20pm.
While carrying out their investigations, police saw a large black laser pointer left on the back seat of Kirby’s car.
Police said Kirby made full admissions in a later interview.
Kirby pleaded guilty to possess a prohibited weapon and drive vehicle with an illicit drug in his system.
He was convicted and fined a total of $900 and disqualified from driving for three months.