Police talks could ease LSD penalty
A 15-year-old who sold the synthetic LSD that left another teenager in an induced coma could be spared "further punishment" if he takes part in discussions with police and juvenile justice workers about the impact of his crime.
The teenager, who pleaded guilty to drug charges in the Perth Children's Court this morning, was charged after four boys who each took a tablet were rushed to hospital.
One of them had suffered an apparent seizure and was placed in an induced coma.
The tablets had been sold by the 15-year-old for $15 each.
The four boys who took the drugs were year 11 and 12 students at a residential boarding facility for students attending academic and specialist schools, including Perth Modern and Shenton College.
Today, defence lawyer Michael Perrella applied for the charged 15-year-old to be sent to court conferencing and then spared further punishment if he performed well in the conference process.
The Magistrate agreed, noting that while the offending was serious the boy had no prior criminal record, references from teachers and others, and his crime was out of character.
She said how well he participated in the process would determine whether any extra punishment would be handed down at his next court date on June 12.
Mr Perrella said his teenage client had only been charged with separate cannabis charges - to which he also pleaded guilty - after volunteering information to police.
The court was told the teenager admitted selling synthetic LSD, possessing cannabis, and possessing drug paraphernalia including a pipe and digital scales that contained drug traces.
The teenager had his bail renewed.
A 17-year-old has also been referred to case conferencing over the synthetic LSD incident.
