A MAN with a "significant" drug addiction has been reminded by a magistrate that his life will get harder if he keeps abusing substances.
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Philip Edwin Speers, 43, of Renshaw McGirr Way, Baldry - 90kms south of Dubbo - pleaded guilty in Bathurst Local Court on May 17, 2023 to driving with an illicit drug in his blood.
According to court documents, Speers was behind the wheel of a silver Subaru Forester when he was stopped by police on Larson Street in Bathurst about 7pm on December 17, 2022 for random testing.
Speers was subject to an oral drug fluid test, which was positive for methamphetamine.
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He was arrested and taken to Bathurst Police Station, where he gave a second positive result to meth as well as cannabis.
"I haven't done meth for a long time," Speers said to police.
The court heard Speers' sample was later confirmed by forensic analysis to contain both illicit drugs.
Sentence
Legal Aid solicitor Simone Thackray told the court her client had "significant drug issues" before it was noted Speers had four prior charges of the same offence.
"He was meeting friends at the pub. He lent them his car and found it trashed ... he drove it away," Ms Thackray said.
Magistrate Jennifer Atkinson reminded Speers that he "can't take drugs" and would always be running a risk when getting behind the wheel if he continued to do so.
"You really need to get off drugs. It's doing nothing for you except making life difficult," Ms Atkinson said.
Speers was convicted and fined $250. He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.
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