MAN SOLD CANNABIS FOR DAUGHTER'S DIALYSIS, COURT TOLD

A Tauranga who man sold cannabis for petrol money so his stepdaughter could
attend kidney dialysis in Hamilton, has been handed a suspended jail
sentence by Tauranga District Court.

Edward Ronald Anderson, 44, unemployed, appeared for sentence after
pleading guilty earlier to possessing cannabis for supply and cultivating
cannabis.

When police searched his home on November 23 last year they found 20
cannabis seedlings growing in pots and 18 foil-wrapped cannabis tinnies.
Anderson told police he had sold one that morning for $20.

The stepdaughter had no kidneys, and was totally dependent on dialysis at
Hamilton, Anderson's lawyer Patricia Jones said. The prognosis for the girl
was very poor.

Anderson or his partner travelled to Hamilton three times a week for the
dialysis. The other parent remained to mind the family, Mrs Jones said.

The hospital gave them some petrol money, but it did not cover the $150 a
week the family was spending on petrol.

A jail sentence for Anderson would cause the break-down of the partner
under the burden of caring for the daughter, Mrs Jones said.

Anderson also used cannabis for his own medical difficulties. He had been
prescribed medication, but he preferred cannabis for pain.

She said since his arrest Anderson had obtained a job, but it was weather
dependent and the income was uncertain.

Judge Peter Rollo said Anderson had quite a list of previous convictions
but to his credit he had left a gang past behind him. He had not appeared
in court for two years.

Selling cannabis for petrol money was a bad choice, but the judge said he
could understand the pressures that might have caused Anderson to make a
wrong judgment.

He sentenced Anderson to eight months jail, suspended for 12 months and
ordered six weeks of periodic detention.