Weed grower given gardening work

A man who admitted to illegally growing cannabis plants to self-medicate has been sentenced to 40 hours’ community work.

Jason Crichton pleaded guilty to a charge of cultivating cannabis at the Nelson District Court yesterday.

Defence lawyer Hannah Cuthill said Crichton was prepared to pay a fine and this would be more suitable than community work due to his medical conditions, which included fybromyalgia.

However Judge Tony Zohrab said he was confident ‘‘light duties, gardening for example’’ could be found for Crichton to do, which he’d no doubt be able to perform given his recent experience cultivating plants.

Eight young cannabis plants and 12 cannabis seedlings were found at Crichton’s home address by police in late May.

They were found in a shed next to the house on the rural property and Crichton admitted to police the plants were grown by him for his personal use.

There was no suggestion of any commercial element to the cultivation, and the court was presented with a medical certificate outlining Crichton’s health issues, which he said were the reason for his cannabis use.

Judge Zohrab told him 40 hours community work would be a suitable sentence.

‘‘I’m not going to lecture you about cannabis, I’ll just remind you that it’s illegal,’’ Judge Zohrab said.