Fraser Is bushfire volunteer busted near Gympie with heroin
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On two separate occasions at Inala and Curra, police busted a 51-year-old man with marijuana, heroin and metal knuckle dusters.
Norman Arthur Macdonald pleaded guilty to the three charges in Gympie Magistrates Court on Monday.
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The court heard that as a heroin addict, Macdonald had been trying to get off the drug through programs and injections but was found on October 30 with a small amount of white powder in his car at Curra.
He was also busted with weed and knuckle dusters on October 20 at Inala.
When questioned about the heroin, Macdonald said he had “no idea” where it came from but admitted the “green leafy material” was marijuana.
As for the knuckle dusters, Macdonald claimed he kept them on him due to the amount of fights that occurred in Inala, but he had never used them.
Solicitor Leanna McIntosh said Macdonald’s extensive criminal history was a result of early abuse and trauma.
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“He started undertaking the Suboxone scheme within the last year and as part of that he had to see a psychiatrist, that brought back a lot of the trauma that he had been suffering,” Ms McIntosh said.
Macdonald had been doing well on the program until he “fell off the rails” and into a depression.
“Since these offences, he is back on the Suboxone program and receives monthly injections which have made a considerable difference,” Ms Mcintosh said.
“He has been working recently on Fraser Island, helping with the bushfires last year so things have taken a better turn for him.”
Magistrate Callaghan fined Macdonald $500 in total and convictions were recorded.
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