Man told cops, knife was for cutting fruit, admits to drug supply

A hearing date for Mark Evans was abandoned in Tamworth Local Court after the 25-year-old pleaded guilty to four charges levelled against him.

Court documents reveal Evans was a passenger in a silver Holden commodore when it was stopped by police at about 1:45am on Warral Road, on October 30, 2023.

Police observed the 25-year-old acting "quite nervous", avoiding eye contact with police, and visibly shaking.

Officers also detected the smell of cannabis.

Evans and the driver exited the vehicle and police asked if there were any illegal objects in the car.

The 25-year-old told police he had some cannabis in a black bum bag.

Police searched the accused and located a small black bag in his waistband containing 9.15 grams of methylamphetamine.

In the bum bag they found 68.48 grams of cannabis, $2000, two gold rings and a holding knife.

Evans told police the knife was for cutting apples and pairs, the cannabis was for personal use, and the money was his entire life savings.

He told officers he received the small black bag holding the meth from a friend, but didn't know what was inside.

Officers arrested Evans and charged him with supplying methylamphetamine; possessing cannabis; having custody of a knife in a public place; and having unlawfully obtained goods in his possession.

The 25-year-old spent about three months bail refused on the charges and was kept behind bars as the case progressed through the court.

He was granted strict conditional bail in January 2024.

Evans originally pleaded not guilty to the four charges and the matter was expected to go to a hearing in the local court.

On the day of the hearing the court heard the 25-year-old would now be pleading guilty to the charges and the matter was set down for sentence.

Evans will remain on bail until his sentence date in July.