Drug Farmer Jailed

[boulder]

Drug farmer jailed

By SCOTT MACLEAN

Wednesday, 15 October 2003

 

A SOUTH WEST farmer has been sent to jail for growing cannabis crops on his property.

 

Nigel Ricky Love (28) was charged in May after police discovered more than 40 kilograms of cannabis on his farm.

 

The crop included 22kgs of head material, more than 200 times the trafficable quantity by law.

 

Bunbury Police acting Sergeant Gerard Murphy said some of the drugs could have ended up on the streets of Bunbury.

 

"It was grown in the South West so there is a distinct possibility it could have been sold in the South West," he said.

 

"It is always good to get that amount of cannabis off the streets.

 

"Drugs and theft are often related and stopping one hopefully has an impact on the other."

 

Defence lawyers for Love pushed for a non-custodial sentence because he had admitted growing the cannabis and cooperated with police.

 

They produced 10 references supporting Love.

 

But Bunbury District Court Judge Allan Fenbury said prison was inevitable.

 

"You were a law-abiding citizen and obviously you were not a fool. You knew the risks," he said.

 

"Penalties are tough because when you deal with drug-crazed people all hell breaks loose. And although not everyone who smokes cannabis goes off the rails, all the "druggy" youth we deal with begin with cannabis."

 

Judge Fenbury sentenced the Pemberton man to 16 months imprisonment. He will be eligible for parole in eight months.

 

Acting Sgt Murphy encouraged anyone with information on cannabis cultivation to contact police.

 

Bunbury Mail

[Ganja Fairy]

Man that shit pisses me off

 

And Johnny says we live in a free country

 

Jail should be for rapists, theifs, murderers and shit - not for farmers

 

Allllllrrrrrrriiiiiiiggggghhhhhhhhtttttttyyyyyy Then

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

Prison should be a last alternative to society, for putting a person that if not removed from free movement in society would be an immediate danger. Or of course has done something that proves they are likely to commit some dangerous act, such as having just commited a murder or somthing.

 

Prison for anything less is overkill. there's plenty of ways for society to deal with unsocial behaviour without locking people up like animals.

 

rob

[pipeman]

yeah couldn't agree more rob, IMO prison should be for violent criminals only.

 

"Drugs and theft are often related and stopping one hopefully has an impact on the other."

 

Of course the best way to end the associating between drugs and theft would be to legalise, but that would make too much sense

 

"Penalties are tough because when you deal with drug-crazed people all hell breaks loose. And although not everyone who smokes cannabis goes off the rails, all the "druggy" youth we deal with begin with cannabis."

 

that old line again. makes me sick. Maybe this judge thinks ciggies should be banned to, as I'm sure most of the "druggy" youth have had those as well.

[Ferre]

I'm glad to live in the Netherlands. people don't go to jail for cannabis here.

[Guest Guest]

Prison should be a last alternative to society, for putting a person that if not removed from free movement in society would be an immediate danger. Or of course has done something that proves they are likely to commit some dangerous act, such as having just commited a murder or somthing.

 

Prison for anything less is overkill. there's plenty of ways for society to deal with unsocial behaviour without locking people up like animals.

 

rob

The sad part is this poor prick has been battling a bloody drought for god knows how long and he's probably resorted to the only means he can to save the family farm of 6 generations.