Sickness beneficiary admits cultivating cannabis

Police asked to check on the welfare of a man who had suffered a stroke found him growing more than 50 cannabis plants in his house.

Wayne William Robinson, a sickness beneficiary of Rakaia, near Ashburton, told the officers he was self-medicating with the illegal drug following his illness.

The 55-year-old admitted a charge of cultivating cannabis when he appeared before Ashburton District Court Noel Walsh yesterday. He was given a 12-month suspended sentence, essentially a good behaviour bond.

Police sergeant Mylen Hamilton said police were asked to do a welfare check on Robinson in April, following his stroke.

They found his Rakaia house empty, with the windows covered and two aggressive dogs on patrol. Inside they discovered 13 cannabis plants about 1.5m tall, 47 seedlings and a bucket of dried cannabis material.

A week or so later, Robinson contacted police and said he was growing the cannabis for his own personal use.