Drugs found in woman’s bag

Sep 28, 2022

Guilty plea: A woman has been placed on a community corrections order after facing court on five charges including drug possession and drug driving. Photo by Rodney Braithwaite

A woman has been placed on a 12-month community corrections order after facing court on a number of charges including drug driving and drug possession.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Stephanie Miles, 32, of Shepparton, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to possession of 1,4-Butanediol, drug driving, committing an indictable offence while on bail, failing to answer bail, and breaching an alcohol interlock condition.

Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Anna Hanlon told the court Miles was caught drug driving with methamphetamines in her system when she was stopped at a breath-testing station in Olympic Ave in Shepparton on May 21 last year.

She told police at the time she “wasn’t on drugs — I don’t take drugs”, Leading Sen Constable Hanlon said.

In a separate incident, on January 22, Miles was found driving on Wilmot Rd in Shepparton without an alcohol interlock device fitted to her car against conditions of her licence.

She told police that she was “just saving” money for the interlock device and that she nearly had enough to get one fitted.

Miles also failed to answer bail in May this year.

Leading Sen Constable Hanlon said in another incident, two bottles with GHB were found in Miles’ bag when police searched an apartment in Melbourne’s Docklands area where Miles and her partner were on July 4.

Miles told police at the time she had travelled to Melbourne and had bought the GHB a few days previously.

Miles’ solicitor Bree Zito told the court her client had post-traumatic stress disorder after being stabbed in a home invasion.

Ms Zito said Miles had been using drugs “socially on an infrequent basis” but had ceased her drug use several months ago.

In sentencing Miles, magistrate Ian Watkins said it seemed Miles had a long-standing drug problem that had ceased.

“She’s to be commended for being clean (now),” he said.

Miles was placed on a 12-month community corrections order, which will include treatment and rehabilitation for drugs and alcohol dependency, mental health treatment and programs to reduce offending.

She was also disqualified from driving for 12 months, backdated to May 21, 2021, when her licence was taken off her on the spot — meaning she is able to apply to be re-licensed after she has completed a driver education course.