A man was sentenced to jail for possession of methamphetamine and cannabis after he was detected by a sniffer dog at an Orange pub on the weekend.
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Scott William Hopgood, 33, formerly of North Street, was at a hotel on March 14 when police attended as part of a licensing operation and brought the drug detection dog with them.
According to police, when the officers entered the hotel about 11.40pm, Hopgood was in the poker machine room but he attempted to leave when he realised police were there.
He was stopped by police and was taken to a private corner to be searched before the dog indicated he had drugs in his possession.
Police found two plastic bags containing methamphetamine weighing 1.59 grams and 0.53 grams in his wallet. He was also found to be in possession of 6.4 grams of cannabis.
According to police, while Hopgood was in custody he head butted the perspex wall of the dock causing a laceration, which was visible when he appeared in court via an audio visual link from jail.
Solicitor Jo Collings said Hopgood was not well during his appearance before magistrate David Day
"He's been using ice for the last few days," she said.
"He's ended up hurting himself which shows how vociferous this drug is in regard to behaviour."
Mr Day gave him a total jail sentence of seven months with a four-month non-parole period for the drug possession.
The jail sentence included a breach of community correction orders he was given for intimidation and breaching and apprehended violence order on April 14, 2019, and for possession of 2.25 grams of methamphetamine in Maitland on December 3, 2019. He was on parole when he was found with the drugs in Maitland.
Mr Day said Hopgood had plenty of opportunities to get rehabilitation for his drug addiction and he had a number of convictions for violence.
"For one drug offence he was convicted in his absence, he didn't show up to court."
Hopgood could be eligible for release on parole on July 14, 2020.
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