A Wollongong gym junkie who wasn't bulking up quickly enough for his liking has admitted turning to steroids to boost his muscle mass.
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Sam Gallo, 21, had just escaped jail time over a violent bar brawl at the Corrimal Hotel in 2018 when he found himself pulled over by police while driving along Pioneer Road in East Corrimal at the end of last year.
He had come to the attention of patrolling police moments earlier after they noticed his vehicle didn't have a front P-plate and a rear tail light was out.
Gallo produced his provisional licence and told police he was heading home after being at the gym.
Officers said he seemed nervous and was shaking and stammering his words.
Police asked him if he had anything illegal in the vehicle.
He replied no, however a subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered a sharps container in the glove box with a substance inside.
"I've been doing steroids," Gallo confessed, when asked for an explanation.
He was charged with possessing a prohibited drug, to which he pleaded guilty in court this week.
Gallo's lawyer, Matthew Ward, said his client had been trying to gain muscle and had become frustrated at lack of progress, making him turn to steroids.
"He's got underlying issues he's working on, he's making progress," he said.
"The possession was a one-off."
Magistrate Jillian Kiely noted Gallo was already serving an intensive corrections order for the bar brawl, which included a condition to attend court-ordered psychology sessions.
"One of the main issues he's been addressing with the psychologist is anger management," she said.
"Taking anabolic steroids won't assist that at all."
However, she said Gallo appeared to have made some "real changes" in his life.
She convicted him of the charge, placed him on a 12-month community corrections order and fined him $1,100.