Instagram star, 23, whose profile is filled with half-naked women avoids conviction on drug charges - as court hears he 'spiralled into addiction' after rescuing a mate from a burning home
An Instagram influencer has avoided conviction on drug charges after he saved a friend from a burning home and spiralled into addiction, a court has heard.
Jesse Craig Lingard, 23, pleaded guilty to nine charges at Brisbane Magistrates Court this week including one count of supplying dangerous drugs and unlawful possession of restricted drugs.
The prosecution dropped seven counts of supplying dangerous drugs.
The court was told Lingard was at a home last July when his friend set the property alight while in a drug induced psychosis.
Jesse Craig Lingard told the Brisbane court the 'traumatic experience' of rescuing a friend from a burning home led to his drug addiction spiralling out of control
'He instructs that he had to drag one of those people out of the house,' Lingard's lawyer Kirstyn Nicholson told the court, according to The Courier Mail.
'It was a very traumatic experience for him. He fortunately didn't suffer any injuries from that but it was so traumatic that he continued with his drug use and didn't take any steps to address that.'
Lingard was busted with 1.5 grams of meth, a bottle of amyl nitrate - and had supplied Valium to a friend last year, the court was told.
His lawyer told the court her client hadn't taken drugs since December last year.
'He has taken steps since the offending to try and get his life back on track,' she said.
Lingard pleaded guilty to drug charges in the Brisbane Magistrates Court
Lingard boasts nearly 8,000 followers on Instagram and over 4,000 followers on Facebook.
He frequently shows off half-naked women on his profile, where he flaunts his lavish lifestyle.
Lingard avoided conviction, with Chief Magistrate Terry Gardiner saying it was his 'last chance' to get clean.
'If you choose to continue to use drugs inevitably you'll be back here and those convictions will be recorded,' he said.
The 23-year-old , boasts nearly 8,000 followers on Instagram