Teen mum spared jail for cannabis dealing

A Mount Maunganui woman, who arrived at court pushing a pushchair and with her partner carrying their 7-week-old baby, was sentenced to three months' home detention for cannabis dealing offences when she appeared yesterday.

Jade May Crawford, 19, who earlier pleaded guilty to one charge each of cultivation of cannabis, possession of cannabis for supply and selling cannabis was sentenced in Tauranga District Court.

Judge Christopher Harding also imposed 12 months' supervision.

Crawford's drug dealing was uncovered when police executed a search warrant at her Taupo Ave home on September 26 last year.

During the search, police found four 10cm cannabis plants in pots growing under a heat lamp, inside the roof cavity of the garage at her property.

Also found inside a metal tobacco box underneath Crawford's bed were 13 cannabis tinnies, each containing about 2gm of the drug, the court was told.

Crawford admitted to police that she had sold tinnies for $20 cash and often the customers came around to her home.

Crawford's lawyer Amy Baker said her client, who had her baby seven weeks ago, was a first-time offender before the courts and had only began dealing due to her limited financial means.

Crawford had made a frank admission to police, was willing to undertake alcohol and drug counselling, and her partner had since moved out of the property, she said.

Ms Baker urged the judge to adopt the recommended sentence of community detention and supervision.

Judge Harding told Crawford that those who become involved in drug dealing usually went to jail but on this occasion he was prepared to step back from that sentence.

"This court and the community will simply not tolerate people making money from drugs, because it brings misery to others," the judge said.