Opposition Leader Convicted of Drug Supply in South Australia
David Speirs pleaded guilty to two charges of supplying drugs to another person, but he requested to be discharged without conviction. However, the court denied his request.
The former leader of the Liberal Opposition in South Australia lost his bid for discharge without conviction after admitting to supplying a controlled substance to another person on two separate occasions in August of the previous year.
During a previous appearance, his lawyer had asked the court not to record a conviction so that Speirs could travel overseas. However, on April 24, the magistrate rejected the application, fined Speirs $9,000, and ordered him to undertake 37-and-a-half hours of community service. Convictions were recorded for both charges.
Speirs had been embroiled in controversy following the release of a video in September 2024 showing him allegedly using drugs at his home. Initially denying his involvement and suggesting the video was manipulated, he later acknowledged the incident and attributed it to others having access to his premises while he was overseas.
Subsequently, he was arrested on the two charges, which were unrelated to the video. Court documents revealed that Speirs supplied cocaine to two former members of a church youth group, both of whom were teenagers at the time. The former politician resigned from Parliament in October, still maintaining his innocence and stating his intention to clear his name.
However, in subsequent court appearances, Speirs changed his plea to guilty. His defense cited extreme stress and declining mental health as factors leading to his drug use. Despite arguments for a discharge without conviction, the magistrate deemed the offenses too serious and recorded convictions on both counts, impacting Speirs’ ability to travel abroad.
