Hash cookie case dismissed

THERE were jubilant scenes at Murwillumbah Local Court on Wednesday when Nimbin man Phillip John Bayles had a charge of possessing dangerous drugs dismissed.

“Ye-ha, I just won my first court case,” Bayles exclaimed after Magistrate Michael Dakin dismissed his charge.

Bayles had been convicted on his absence at a previous court date for the August 2008 incident, but managed to have the conviction overturned so he could fight the charge.

Police had allegedly found hash cookies in his ute on Tweed Coast Road at Cabarita.

With long, dreadlocked hair and wearing a Nimbin Hemp Embassy T-shirt, Bayles cross-examined his two arresting police officers.

Police had a signed confession from Bayles that the cookies contained “THC”, but Bayles disputed the information and established the cookies had never been tested for cannabis and that they had been destroyed after his original conviction.

The case was “dismissed”, due to the time since the alleged offence and the lack of hard evidence.

“Seeing as though it is dismissed, can I seek costs?” Bayles asked.

“You can, but I am not going to give them to you,” Mr Dakin replied. “Do you want to know why?”

Bayles said he didn’t care why and quickly went to celebrate the decision with his friend.