Pubdate: Sat, Oct 3, 1998 Source: The West Australian Page: 4 Contact: FAX: +61 8 94823830 Author: Torrance Mendez LAWYERS WARN ON CANNABIS CAUTIONS THE new cannabis trial of cautions for first offenders will he a nightmare for WA courts, the Criminal Lawyers' Association says. Offenders caught with up to 50g of cannabis will escape a criminal record if they consent to undergo a drug education session within two weeks. The Criminal Lawyers Association foresees big problems because the trial is restricted to the police districts of Bunbury and Mirrabooka. Any first offenders arrested outside those district, cannot be offered a caution. "People are going to know that in Bunbury and Mirrabooka one thing is tolerated but not in others," Association Committee member Michael Tudori said. "They will think it's safe to smoke and safe to have cannabis in Bunbury and Mirrabooka but not in other areas, it could lead to an increase in crime." Lawyers representing first offenders caught outside the trial areas will argue for parity with offenders caught within the trial. "The lawyers would say opportunities for leniency were being denied simply because their clients were not arrested in Mirrabooka or Bunbury police districts." "The law is meant to be equal to everybody, in this instance, justice isn't being done and isn't being seen to be done," Mr Tudori said. The trial should be extended to all of WA or scrapped, he said. Someone convicted for a cannabis offence outside of Mirrabooka and Bunbury might claim, with some justification, that their resultant criminal record was excessive. A spokesman for Police Minister Kevin Prince said the trial would be assessed after 12 months and legislation would be changed to incorporate it into WA law, if deemed worthy. - --- Checked-by: Patrick Henry