A drug addict whose court mandated drug diversion program was cancelled on Friday thanked a magistrate for not giving up on him.
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Samuel Thomas Mullins, of Mayfield, told Magistrate Sharon Cure he owed it to himself and his family to stop using illicit drugs.
The 25-year-old had his 10-month jail sentence deferred to participate in a drug diversion program in April, but he appeared on and pleaded guilty to new charges on Friday, which included driving while disqualified, unlawfully possessing a dangerous article in a public place, stealing and possessing a controlled drug.
Mullins was charged with stealing after 62 litres of petrol he put in a friend's car at United Petrol Station at Newnham wasn't paid for.
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His lawyer Grant Tucker told the court Mullins was a passenger in the vehicle and expected the driver to pay for the petrol.
On May 16 Mullins walked into Launceston Kmart, put on a $15 jumper and walked out of the store, despite employees calling out to him by name.
Ten days later Mullins was found with three bags of amphetamine when police searched him and a car he was sitting in.
He was caught driving an unregistered car while disqualified on July 10.
Police found a pocket knife with a 10 centimetre blade on Mullins' after he was arrested, which he said was for protection.
Mr Tucker said Mullins was simply moving his brother's car from up the street when he was intercepted by police and charged with driving without a licence.
The court heard the drugs were for personal use, but Mullins had abstained from illicit substances since he was incarcerated on July 11.
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During sentencing, Ms Cure told Mullins she wasn't going to write him off.
The magistrate commended Mullins for how honest and open he spoke about his battle with drugs in a report prepared for his drug diversion program eligibility.
The court heard Mullins spoke about loving the drug, the highs it gave him and then the inevitable consequences of depression and anxiety.
Ms Cure labelled the account as enlightening and said it was clear Mullins was very intelligent.
Although the program wasn't successful, Ms Cure believed Mullins had learnt something from the process.
"I won't give up on you," Ms Cure said.
Mullins 10-month sentence was activated and he was given an additional two months for his new offending.
The global sentence of 12 months was backdated to May 24 and he would be eligible for parole after serving six months.
His licence was disqualified for three months from his release.
