Ice user turned himself into police after supplying teen girl

[Jack Ryan]

From the Mercury, Tasmania, Australia

A 51-YEAR-OLD Jehovah’s Witness man introduced to hard drugs by fellow Alcoholics Anonymous attendees has pleaded guilty to administering crystal methamphetamine to a child.

The Supreme Court heard that Glenn John Austen, formerly of New Town, befriended the complainant, who was then 16 years old, in Hobart’s Franklin Square last year.

Crown Prosecutor Yolanda Prence said that on February 11 this year, the complainant was consuming alcohol and smoking cannabis at Austen’s residence when she told him she needed “a whack” of crystal methamphetamine, or ice.

Austen left the unit, returning a short time later with a sachet containing a “point” of ice.

When the girl — who the court heard was already a “seasoned” intravenous drug user — asked Austen for assistance, he inserted the needle of her syringe into her left arm and injected the contents.

Struck with immediate guilt, Austen walked to the nearest police station to confess.

Ms Prence said the Crown accepted that the girl had used drugs intravenously before, and that the incident would not have come to light if Austen had not gone to the police.

Defence lawyer Robert Fisher told the court his client had been cast out of his Jehovah’s Witness congregation after revealing his battle with alcohol.

Mr Fisher said that the defendant was ashamed and remorseful.

Justice Brett bailed Austen for sentence on September 9.

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/scales-of-justice/ice-user-supplied-teen-girl/news-story/95fdc936941e57be6584c71ad0f340af?nk=dfe79657c9e6c875e2ca1b97782acd07-1472850475