'Drugs are destroying our community': Magistrate

[Chip (OP)]

MAGISTRATE Peter Hasted has lambasted the effect of drugs on small community towns in the sentencing of a 20-year-old Roma man.

Samuel Geoffrey Payne appeared at Roma Magistrates Court on Tuesday, charged with possession of prohibited drugs and breaching bail orders relating to his curfew and appearance at court.

In the sentencing, the magistrate said the use of drugs "destroys" towns like Roma.

"Drugs encourage people to get involved in illicit and anti-social behaviour. They effectively destroy the fabric of a safe community town like this one," Magistrate Hasted said.

Payne was ordered to undergo a community service order for 18 months and perform 120 hours of community service.

Police prosecutor Sgt Shannon Bryce said the Roma man was discovered with several small plastic bags containing 1.8g of cannabis, along with a small metal tin containing two grams of cannabis.

The court was also told the man had breached his bail after he failed to adhere to his curfew in early June.

In the submissions, the defence said Payne had been in and out of work for the past three years, having not completed Year 12 at St John's Catholic School.

Although he had held some contract work at The Big Rig in July and a local restaurant throughout his studies, Payne was described by the magistrate as being "somewhat directionless" in his pursuit of work.

the whole article is at http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/magistrate-fires-up-over-drug-use/2739957/