Bella Vizintin, 18, found guilty for carrying around a taser

Bella Vizintin, 18, from Hillside Drive, Dubbo pleaded guilty in Dubbo Local Court to possess prohibited drug and possess or use prohibited weapon without a permit on Wednesday, October 11.

According to documents tendered to the court, on Sunday, August 28, 2023 at 10.25pm police were called to a park across from Buckingham Drive because people inside a car were acting suspicious.

Police noticed that a man and woman were both asleep inside the car.

Waking the two up, police asked what they were doing.

They told the officers they were catching up because their parents don't allow them to see each other at their houses.

As police were speaking with them through the open window, they could smell cannabis coming from inside the car.

When asked about the smell, both passengers were hesitant to answer the question but went along with a search of the car.

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During the search, police found a small bag of cannabis, which Vizintin said was hers.

Police also found a taser and its charging port.

When police asked Vizintin why she had the taser, she said it was for self protection.

Police also found a black back pack that had more cannabis.

Vizintin said the bag was hers and had forgotten what was in it, but knew the cannabis had been in there for a while.

Magistrate Garry Wilson said carrying around a taser was not "just a silly mistake".

"I cannot see a valid reason to have a prohibited weapon of this nature, I would hate to think a resident of Dubbo thinks it is necessary to carry this weapon for self defence," he said.

Vizintin was sentenced to a nine month conditional release order and fined $750.

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