An "obviously intelligent and capable" churchgoer who is also a "habitual offender" has been referred to a therapeutic sentencing court to potentially help him overcome his "$1500 a day" drug addiction after he was found unconscious at a brothel.
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David Celeski, 40, fronted the ACT Supreme Court on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to seven charges, including two counts of drug trafficking.
The other charges were dealing with the proceeds of crime, possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing ammunition, supplying a declared substance, and possessing a declared substance.
Court documents state that Celeski, of Karabar in Queanbeyan, spent several hours at the Langtrees Bar & Brothel, in Mitchell, early one Saturday morning in February.
The brothel's receptionist called triple zero just after 9am on the day in question, requesting an ambulance because Celeski was unconscious.
Paramedics arrived 10 minutes later and began performing first aid on the offender, who once studied architecture at the University of Canberra but left due to anxiety and depression.
One of the paramedics searched Celeski's belongings to try to find some identification, discovering he was carrying an automatic pistol with the hammer cocked and a bullet in the chamber.
They also found $12,271.95 in cash, a large clip-seal bag containing 40 grams of heroin, and three mobile phones, all of which were later given to police.
Celeski was subsequently taken, under police guard, from the brothel to Calvary Hospital.
There, staff gave officers more items that had been found on Celeski.
These included another 1.6 grams of heroin, a clip-seal bag containing 29 grams of methamphetamine, and a vanilla extract bottle containing 7 grams of a declared substance called butanediol.
Celeski was not licensed to possess or supply this substance, which a brothel employee reported having consumed after the offender poured it into the bottle's cap for her.
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The case was listed for sentence on Tuesday when his lawyer, Paul Edmonds, asked for the matter to be referred for eligibility assessment in the Drug and Alcohol Sentencing List, a therapeutic court.
Crown prosecutor Elizabeth Wren said that while she could not be heard against the referral, she said she was concerned about the offender committing offences while he was on a 14-month suspended jail sentence for previous offending.
Ms Wren said a drug and alcohol treatment order, if given, would "represent a level of leniency that may not otherwise be warranted in the circumstances".
Justice Michael Elkaim said he agreed with Mr Edmonds' submission that the offender be referred to the therapeutic court because his future was going to be dictated by his addiction to drugs.
"I think Mr Edmonds is absolutely correct," Justice Elkaim said.
"This offender has no chance of life if he remains an addict.
"He needs about $1500 a day to meet his drug requirements."
The judge said that while the offender's effort to rehabilitate himself so far has failed, a controlled program "such as that enlisted in the drug and alcohol court [list] might do better".
"Accordingly, and in the hope that the offender will finally do something about his drug addiction because he's obviously an intelligent and capable person, I refer him for assessment," Justice Elkaim said.
The judge, prior to making the order, said the offender had "collected a number of convictions for all sorts of offences" and the Queanbeyan Local Court described him as a "habitual offender" in 2009.
The court heard Celeski, whose parents were in court to support him, was trying to obtain a builder's licence and attended church regularly.
Following the order for referral, Justice Elkaim asked the offender if he understood.
"I did. Thank you, your honour," Celeski said.
"Off you go [back into custody]," Justice Elkaim replied.
Bail was not applied for and the case is scheduled before the sentencing list on September 23.
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