A FORMER member of an outlaw motorcycle club – who previously ‘‘took the rap’’ for his associates – has been bailed pending an appeal, hours after he was jailed for a $20,000 ice haul, crossbow and homemade firearms offences.
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Matthew John Upston, 30, was jailed for six months, with three months suspended for 18 months, and fined $200 in the Launceston Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
The penalty was Upston’s second suspended sentence, following the 12 months’ jail, wholly suspended for two years, he received in October for a raft of similar drugs and firearms charges.
Upston’s defence counsel, Mark Doyle, confirmed on Tuesday afternoon he had launched an appeal over his client’s sentence, stating it was manifestly excessive.
Magistrate Sharon Cure, who sentenced Upston in October and again on Tuesday, bailed Upston and ordered him to appear in the Supreme Court in Launceston for a mention on February 1.
Earlier on Tuesday, Ms Cure disagreed with Mr Doyle’s plea for a further wholly suspended jail term for his client.
Mr Doyle argued that Upston’s offending was ‘‘part and parcel’’ of the crimes he had already been punished for.
‘‘There’s a bit of a backlash when it comes to suspended sentences and the community does not regard them as being a sufficient message,’’ Ms Cure said.
She said it was an aggravating factor that Upston was on bail for similar serious charges when he reoffended.
Upston initially faced court on Tuesday for a hearing, but negotiations resulted in three charges being dropped and Upston pleading guilty to 14 charges, mostly drug possession and firearms offences.
Prosecutor Brett Steele said police seized 22 grams of crystal methylamphetamine, 96.9 grams of cannabis, a ‘‘sophisticated’’ crossbow, three homemade firearms and drug paraphernalia from Upston’s house in Charlton Street, Norwood, on September 2.
Mr Steele said one of the homemade firearms was operable and he estimated the ice had a street value of $20,000.