By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A MAN found with synthetic cannabis broke down a Berwick resident’s gate and passed out on her couch as she sought help from neighbours.
Jarrod Hewitson had flattened the gate, perhaps in an attempt to jump over it, about 5.30pm on 28 February, Dandenong Magistrates’ Court was told.
The frightened victim ran for help when she spotted an apparently “drug affected” Hewitson walking towards her garage door.
The accused was found by police on a couch inside the house with his hands on his head.
There was a sealed packet of synthetic cannabis and a smoking pipe in his pocket, police informant Senior Constable James Middleton told the court.
Hewitson, who was on a community corrections order, told police at the time he had bought the substance from a shop.
The accused was also charged with resisting arrest while awaiting a police interview at Narre Warren police station that night.
Sen Const Middleton said the interview couldn’t be completed due to Hewitson’s aggressive manner.
He said the accused had offended multiple times in the past usually while in possession of an illicit drug.
His lawyer told the court on 19 April there was no evidence that the accused smoked the substance. Hewitson claimed that he must have been suffering the after-effects of an epileptic seizure.
The lawyer said the accused often couldn’t remember anything from the seizure but had reportedly behaved similarly during past episodes.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen noted there was no evidence of Hewitson having a seizure that day.
“This is merely speculative. I get the point that he was confused but his behaviour goes for hours not 30 or 40 seconds.
“(The behaviour) is also consistent with someone affected by drugs and he’s found with drug paraphernalia on him.”
Mr Vandersteen said Hewitson had not had another such seizure in the past two years, and had only been out of jail less than a month before the incident.
The judge said Hewitson, who had spent 50 days in pre-sentence detention, had been detained for “more than enough” on an unlawful entry charge.
The accused’s aggravated burglary charge had been dropped because the victim had left before he entered her home.
Hewitson was sentenced to 30 days’ jail – which had already been served.
His corrections order’s conditions were varied from unpaid community work to drug treatment and rehabilitation only.
