CANNABIS GROWER FACES JAIL

Ronney Steven Barwick is expecting three major events in his life: the
arrival of his fourth child, the start of a jail term, and the confiscation
of his house.

The police say the factory-style cannabis-growing operation they found
inside the house he owns in Brabourne Street, Hillsborough, would have
grown $200,000 of drugs over the 40 months that it existed.

Now the crown has filed an application under the Proceeds of Crime Act, to
seize the property, which has a current valuation of $120,000. An interim
restraining order is in place to stop it being sold in the meantime.

Thirty-one-year-old Barwick now lives in the house with his partner and
their three children, aged 2, 6, and 8 years. According to defencecounsil
Hamish Evans, the couple are expecting their fourth child next week.

Christchurch District Court Judge Murray Abbott yesterday granted Barwick's
request to stay on bail so that he can be present at the birth.

Barwick had pleaded guilty to charges of possession of cannabis for sale.
producing the class B drug cannabis oil, having cannabis oil for supply,
receiving stolen property, and unlawful possession of a rifle.

Police raided the three-bedroomHillsborough property in February last year,
when Barwick was renting it out and living at another house nearby.

They found 488 cannabis plants with an estinated value of $60,000 growing
in a hydroponic system in the bedrooms. They were 30cm to 50cm high, and
extremely good quality.

One other person has been charged over the operation and is still to be
dealt with by the courts.

The house was unoccupied but had covers over the windows to hide what was
going on inside.

"It was set up for the sole purpose of growing and drying cannabis in a
factory-style operation," said Crown prosecuor Brent Stanaway.

Cannabis head was found dryiny, and leaves soaking in a chemical to make
cannabis oil.

The police also found stolen goods worth a total of $27,000 at the two
properties, as well as a 7mm rifle for which Barwick had no licence. The
property had been taken in burglaries over the previous three years.

Mr Stanaway said some of the items had been returned to the owners, but the
final reperation was being worked out.

Barwick admitted that the cannabis growing operation had gone on for 40
weeks, and the Crown said that over that period it would have produced
$200,000 of drugs.

Judge Abbott remanded Barwick on bail for almost a month for a probation
report, a reparation report, and sentence, but he told him:jail is inevitable,"

He allowed bail because Barwick had pleaded quilty well before trial after
pre-trial issues had been resolved in the Crowns favour.

"In recognition of the factthatyou have been responsible in respect of
these issues,you get bail until you are sentenced," said the judge.