Cannabis was for grower’s anxiety

AN INNISFAIL sugarcane worker self medicated with cannabis after a car accident left him with chronic neck pain, a Cairns court heard.

Richard Matthew Pennefather was caught with 30 mature cannabis plants and 22 seedlings when police raided the rural Bombeeta property he called home last year.

He appeared in Cairns District Court and pleaded guilty to producing and possessing cannabis, and possessing equipment and fertiliser associated with its production.

Pennefather, 52, co-operated with police on May 18, 2017, when they found the plants and about 750gm of dried cannabis in various stages of production.

The District Court heard Pennefather smoked the equivalent of three rolled cannabis cigarettes a day to control the anxiety he suffered.

“When he senses the onset of anxiety that at times overcomes him, he uses cannabis,” barrister Peter Feeney said for the defence.

Mr Feeney told the court his client had suffered from working on farms his adult life.

“He has worked in rural industries – hard work,” he said.

“It is a fact of life that in this type of work people tend to get old before their time.”

Judge Leanne Clare SC resisted the crown’s submission that Pennefather should serve jail time. “(since) 1998 … there has been a softening of sentencing for this type of charge,” Judge Clare said.

She ordered Pennefather serve a 12-year sentence suspended for 12 months with a 12-month probation order and 150 hours community service.