Cannabis plants found in garden grown for medicinal use

GREEN THUMB: A man has faced Orange Local Court for growing cannabis for his own medicinal use. FILE PHOTO

A man has been fined in Orange Local Court for cultivating two marijuana plants that weighed 20 kilograms each.

On April 10, police conducted a search warrant at the Warrendine Street home of Kenneth Norman Sharpe, 51, and found two cannabis plants in a raised garden bed that had a mesh fence and laser light roof.

One of the plants was 1.5 metres high and the other was between two and 2.25 metres in height.

The plants were fertilised and the garden was mulched.

"I have no doubt you've seen medical practitioners for dealing with pain, you are going to have to go back to that."

Alexander Mijovich

Police also found 324.1 grams of cannabis leaf in a shed and a room of the house was dedicated to drying the cannabis.

Sharpe said the cannabis was for personal use and to help with pain that resulted from injuries caused by a motor vehicle crash and from when he was the victim of a robbery.

However magistrate Alexander Mijovich questioned whether Sharpe had a medical degree, which he didn't, and said noting the offences could carry a sentence of up to two years in jail.

"I have no doubt you've seen medical practitioners for dealing with pain, you are going to have to go back to that," Mr Mijovich said.

"These are your first offences but you are getting towards the top end of matters [that] this court deals with."

Mr Mijovich also said the offences involved a substantial degree of planning and cultivation.

He fined Sharpe $500 for possession of the two cannabis plants and gave him a 12-month community corrections order, and he fined Sharpe another $500 and gave him a 12-month community correction order for possession of cannabis leaf. Originally published here: https://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/story/6207187/two-20kg-cannabis-plants-found-in-raised-garden-bed-were-grown-for-pain-relief/