BRENDA WAUDBY CHARGES DROPPED

Apartment Full Of Marijuana Plants

Drug charges against Brenda Waudby have been dropped following a plea
by her common-law spouse Ken Yelland.

Waudby, 42, was charged with production of marijuana, possession of
marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, possession of marijuana and
possession of an unauthorized weapon April 20 after police searched
the Murray Street apartment she shares with Yelland.

Yelland, 42, pleaded guilty yesterday in Ontario Court of Justice to
production of marijuana.

Court heard police found 54 plants, each about two-thirds to one metre
tall, in a bedroom in the apartment.

Another 31 plants, about 20 to 30 centimetres tall, were found in a
closet, court heard.

Police also found a baggie containing more than 100 grams of marijuana
shake, fans, fertilizer and roaches in the apartment, court heard, as
well as an explosive device.

Yelland got four months of house arrest and eight months of open
custody.

He's allowed to leave the home Monday afternoon to run errands, to
accompany Waudby's eight-year-old son on outings and to attend the
Goudge Inquiry in Toronto.

Remaining charges against Yelland of possession of marijuana for the
purpose of trafficking, possession of marijuana and possession of an
unauthorized weapon were withdrawn following his plea.

Waudby said the explosive device was a detonator box, obtained through
a relative of Yelland's who works with explosives.

The box was being used for storage, she said.

Outside the courthouse, Waudby said she was glad her charges were
withdrawn.

There were more than 80 marijuana plants throughout her home, she
acknowledged. "It was there," she said. She said she smokes marijuana
for medicinal purposes, to help relieve stress and gain weight.

"My doctor knew," Waudby said.

"My doctor supported it. Pot helps me to eat, pot helps me to
sleep."

After she was charged with her daughter Jenna Mellor's death in 1997,
Waudby said, her weight dropped dramatically and she began taking
several medications. Marijuana, she said, was a medicinal alternative
for her.

Yelland is one of the biggest supporters she has, she said, and she's
happy his sentence will allow him to stay with her.

Yelland said he was as happy as he could be with his sentence. He and
Waudby's son hike, fish and camp together, Yelland said, and he's a
regular at the boy's lacrosse games.

"He needs his support, people in the stands to cheer him on," Yelland
said.