Andrew John Baldwin pleads guilty to cultivating 24 cannabis plants in his Noarlunga Downs backyard

A southern suburbs man told a court cannabis made him feel “strong and healthy” after police discovered his crop while investigating why he’d been stabbed.

A southern suburbs man has pleaded guilty to “accidentally” growing two dozen cannabis plants in his backyard.

Andrew John Baldwin, 49, told Magistrate Teresa Anderson it was never his intention to grow that many cannabis plants in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

“I didn’t mean to grow that many,” Baldwin said. “A whole heap of seeds just sprouted.”

A police prosecutor told the court that just after 12.30pm on February 12, 2020, police were called to Baldwin’s home in Noarlunga Downs after he had been stabbed in the shoulder.

Andrew John Baldwin pleaded guilty to cultivating 24 cannabis plants in his Noarlunga Downs yard. Picture: Facebook

“He had visible injury to his shoulder, police entered the house with permission to establish the scene,” she said.

“Upon entering, police observed several cannabis plants in the rear yard.”

The court heard police obtained a drug warrant where they located 24 plants in the rear yard as well as several quantities of dried cannabis and seeds, four grinders, 16 pipes, two cone pieces and a glass ice pipe.

When asked why he smokes the illegal substance, Baldwin told Magistrate Anderson it gives him a sense of strength.

“It works for me, makes me feel healthy and strong,” he said.

Baldwin explained to the court he had taken up smoking cannabis after he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Magistrate Anderson sentenced Baldwin to six weeks’ imprisonment on a suspended 18-month good behaviour bond at a cost of $300.