
‘Simple minded’ man jailed after multiple no-shows in court
An unemployed 29-year-old man living in Curra with his friends will spend the weekend in jail after he was caught with a glass pipe and marijuana and failed to turn up for court.
Arrested by police on January 13, Charley John Druce pleaded guilty in Gympie Magistrates Court on Thursday to five charges.
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The court heard Druce had a long criminal history.
Police prosecutor Michael Phillips said on July 27 last year, police caught Druce on the corner of Henry and O'Connell St with 0.2 grams of marijuana and a glass pipe in his hand.
"The defendant stated he got it [the marijuana] from a mate and he used the glass pipe to smoke it," Sergeant Phillips said.
Druce then failed to appear in court on December 7, 2020, and again on January 11, 2021.
He was also charged with contravening a police requirement on August 8, 2020.
Solicitor Chris Anderson said his client did not actively avoid court orders, he was just "simple minded" and seemed to forget.
"I don't know whether that much thought is given in respect of failing to appear, my client is a man who exists through life," Mr Anderson said.
Mr Phillips gave a similar observation and said Druce was never hard for police to find, and just "doesn't care".
"He just doesn't turn up and shows a poor attitude to appearing in court," Sgt Phillips said.
Magistrate Chris Callaghan said Druce had failed to appear five times on previous occasions and did not "give two hoots about this place".
"You have a lengthy history for not really caring about your obligations to the court … and here we are again," Mr Callaghan said.
Druce was sentenced to a month and three days in jail, but will be released on parole on Monday, January 18.
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