Dope farmer to lose his $5000 quad bike

Bideford farmer Terry James Galway, 47, has been ordered to forfeit his quad bike and was sentenced to community work after earlier pleading guilty to cultivation of cannabis.

A Bideford farmer who grew up to $200,000 worth of cannabis in forestry bordering his farm has been forced to hand his $5000 farm quad bike to the Crown and is subject to a curfew for six months.

Terry James Galway, 47, who previously pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis, was also sentenced to community work when he appeared before Judge Stephen Harrop in Masterton District Court.

Crown prosecutor Emma Light said Galway, along with an unidentified person, had grown cannabis on a forestry block bordering his property between April 2009 and last year when 44 plants were discovered by police growing in a plot, which Galway had admitted to growing.

The plants had an estimated street value of between $80,000 and $200,000 once fully matured, the court heard.

Defence lawyer Peter Stevens said his client accepted responsibility immediately and had not fought the order to confiscate the 2001 Suzuki TRX300 quad farm bike worth $5000.

He said the plants were small and to take the value "with a grain of salt" as the plants were not fully grown.

Mr Stevens asked the court to consider community work and community detention so Galway could continue working the farm and could make time for his family.

Judge Harrop warned Galway the maximum penalty for growing cannabis was seven years' jail.

The plants were detected by police in a helicopter checking the area for cannabis plots.

"It was not a sophisticated operation," the judge said.

While Ms Light had requested a curfew all day on Sundays, Judge Harrop said he wasn't prepared to make victims of Galway's family.

He said the loss of the quad bike would deprive Galway of income.

He sentenced Galway to six months' community detention with a curfew from 8pm to 6am to start on November 30.

The judge also ordered he complete 80 hours' community work and forfeit the quad bike.