JUDGE JAILS CANNABIS GROWER

A man who used some of his redundancy money to establish a sophisticated
cannabis-growing system in his house was jailed for 2-1/2 years when he was
sentenced yesterday in the High Court at Wellington.

Tony Michael Anderson, 36, had earlier appeared in Lower Hutt District
Court where he pleaded guilty to possessing and cultivating cannabis.

Justice Gendall said Anderson had decided to use some of the $6000 he was
paid when made redundant from his job as a fitter and welder with Tranz
Rail in October 1999.

He sought advice on cultivation and spent $2500 on sophisticated hydroponic
equipment, eventually selling one-ounce bags of cannabis for $300 a bag.

Police found 102 plants and 522 grams of drying cannabis when they searched
his house on December 12 last year. They said 30 mature plants found were
each worth $900 to $1200.

The scale and sophistication of the operation ruled out lawyer Greg King's
submission that Anderson's sentence should be suspended so he could finish
a computer studies course, Justice Gendall said.

Suspending a sentence required a term of no more than two years, and
Anderson's offending was at the high end of the category where two to four
years was usually imposed.

Though most of his 24 previous convictions were for minor offences, three
were for drink-driving, and two for possession of cannabis.

He was "clearly a dealer" and treatment, counselling and education could be
completed in custody, Justice Gendall said.

Mr King, who had sought a sentencing adjournment so Anderson could complete
a computer course and an eight-week drug and alcohol programme, said
Anderson had "worked like a Trojan" to finish the course because he knew he
might be jailed.

This was not typical of the lethargy and lack of motivation of many
cannabis-dependent people and a suspended sentence would help Anderson
rehabilitate himself and find work. His drug dependence was long-standing
and linked with unresolved grief about the deaths of his sister,
stepfather, mother and birth father.

Crown prosecutor Cameron Mander said two to four years was the appropriate
sentence. "Deterrence is a paramount consideration . . . (his) personal
circumstances are sadly not particularly unique in such offending."