Walcha Court was held on June 20 with two local residents charged over drug offences.
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A 38-year-old Walcha man was fined $1000 and given two section 9 good behaviour bonds for 24 months for cultivating a prohibited substance and the possession of equipment to administer prohibited drugs. Ian John Kerr pleaded guilty to both offences after police searched his home.
On February 22 of this year police executed a search warrant at an address in Walcha where they found nine cannabis plants growing in the back yard and a bong inside the house. Kerr admitted to police in interview that both the plants and pipe were his.
As well as the fine and good behaviour bond Kerr was ordered to report to parole and probation for counselling, educational development and drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
Magistrate Michael Holmes said if Kerr came before court again within the next two years he could expect to go to jail.
During the same search on February 22 police located a quantity of cannabis seeds and two tablets of diazepam, a prescribed restricted substance without a prescription.
Under caution Kerr’s partner Elizabeth Kim Haines made a full admission to owning the seeds and the tablets and to knowing they were a restricted substance.
The 49-year-old pleaded guilty to the charges of possessing a prescribed restricted substance and possessing prohibited drugs. She was fined $500 for both offences and ordered to report to parole and probation for counselling, educational development and drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
Also in court on June 20 Kerr’s 41-year-old brother, Andrew John Kerr pled guilty to driving while disqualified. He was disqualified for driving for 12 months, given a section 9 good behaviour bond for 12 months and fined $250. Kerr was charged after being pulled over on the New England Highway for driving an unregistered vehicle.
Gary Brennan of Bondi pleaded guilty to driving with a low range prescribed concentration of alcohol in Walcha on Friday April 28 and owing to the 66-year-old’s good driving record he was placed on a section 10 good behaviour bond for 12 months.
Wild weather during the June long weekend resulted in the rescue of two experienced four wheel drivers by local police and SES volunteers in Enfield State Forest south east of Walcha. The drivers were well prepared and no one was injured.