Matthew Laine Williams, 35, of Shepparton, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to charges including trafficking methamphetamines, two counts of possessing methamphetamines, using methamphetamines, committing an indictable offence while on bail and four counts of contravening bail conditions.
The court heard police found a total of 14.29g of methamphetamines spread over three zip-lock bags when they stopped Williams in Maude St, Shepparton at 12.55am on November 29, 2020.
Police found deal bags, an ice pipe and scales in a satchel Williams was carrying.
The court was told the drugs were inside a bum bag inside Williams’ pants that was found when police did a pat down of him.
Once the bag was unclipped, Williams initially ran from police.
In a police interview Williams told police he had run because he “panicked”.
The court heard he told police he used the scales to “weigh bags and drugs”.
He also told police he last sold drugs at lunchtime that day and he trafficked drugs “to self-medicate”, according to the prosecutor.
The court was told that in a separate incident, 0.82g of methamphetamines fell out of Williams’ sock while he was turning them inside out after being asked to do so by police who had pulled him over for riding a bike without a helmet on February 6.
Williams’ solicitor Laurence Waugh told the court his client was born in Shepparton and was aged four when his mother died.
After living in Melbourne for a year after a marriage breakdown a few years ago, Williams started using drugs when he returned to Shepparton while suffering anxiety.
Mr Waugh said his client had engaged well with the Court Integrated Services Program since being bailed in November last year and had been “earnest in his attempt” to stop using drugs.
Magistrate Peter Mithen sentenced Williams to an 18-month community corrections order, with 150 hours of community work.
He also ordered that up to 30 hours of drug and mental health treatment and rehabilitation could be counted towards community work hours.
12°C