A 24-year-old woman was lucky to have escaped prison time after she was convicted of drug related charges at Young Local Court last Tuesday, instead serving an Intensive Corrections Order.
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Meredith Longhurst of Young was convicted for possessing a prohibited drug, possessing equipment for administering prohibited drugs, supplying a small quantity of prohibited drugs and having goods suspected of being stolen when she appeared before Magistrate Michael O'Brien.
According to Longhurst's representative, since her charge she has been seeking out treatment for both mental health and drug rehabilitation with Magistrate O'Brien previously having threatened incarceration as potentially the only available outcome.
Longhurst's solicitor said that a relative had indicated that now living with her she is aware that Longhurst is no longer 'out and about' and has stressed the lengths she has gone to to try and seek treatment.
According to Longhurst's solicitor though there is still some drug use continuing, but it had been significantly less than it had previously been.
Longhurst's solicitor asked Magistrate O'Brien to consider placing her on a order of strict conditions and a residential rehabilitation program "that would be of greater benefit of this offender than a custodial would have been in the past."
"I'm sure you're an intelligent woman," Magistrate O'Brien said during sentencing. "You have the benefit of a loving family."
Magistrate O'Brien said it must be tragic for the defendant's family to see her in court and facing the prospect of leaving in handcuffs.
Magistrate O'Brien said it is never too late to use moments of failure to resolve to do better.
"You have to want it," he said.
Magistrate O'Brien convicted Longhurst for the six charges and sentenced her to 12 months in prison served as an intensive corrections order, he also ordered she must abstain from illicit drugs and engage in a program and treatment.
Longhurst was charged after local police issued a search warrant on her premises on Friday, September 28, 2018 and found a quantity of money, cannabis, messages on Facebook and a mobile phone asking for supply of cannabis as well as an iPad that was suspected of being stolen.
There was also confirmation from other individuals in regards to the supply of drugs, police say in facts tendered to court.
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