A Manjimup man has claimed that nearly 300 grams of cannabis found in his possession was used to self-medicate a back injury sustained over two years ago in his workplace.
Campbell Joshua Murray Lawrence appeared in Manjimup Magistrate’s Court on Thursday after admitting to cultivating a prohibited plant, possessing a prohibited drug and possessing drug paraphernalia.
Police conducted a search at Lawrence’s house on March 28, where they found 267 grams of cannabis, 16 cannabis plants in the backyard and seven more cannabis plants in a shed on the property growing in a hydroponic system.
While police searched his house, Lawrence admitted on three separate occasions to ownership of the prohibited drugs, plants and paraphernalia while under caution.
During his appearance, Lawrence said he had struggled with severe back pain that his current medication did not alleviate which influenced him to grow the drug.
But while Magistrate Linda Keane accepted the man had suffered the back injury, he had grown and possessed an “extraordinarily significant amount of cannabis”.
Lawrence pleaded guilty to the three charges and was fined $750 plus court costs.
The maximum penalty for possessing cannabis in WA is a $2000 fine or two years behind bars, while growing the drug can incur up to 10 years prison or a $20,000 penalty.
Supplying a prohibited drugs can carry the penalty up to 25 years or $100,000.
