Phillip Goussias jailed for ‘highly sophisticated’ cannabis crops that police found by accident
A Beverley man has been jailed after police accidentally found a “highly sophisticated” cannabis crop in his back shed when they went to see him for something completely unrelated.
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A Beverley man whose cannabis crop was accidentally uncovered by police when they found him passed out on the couch has been jailed for three years.
Phillip Goussias, 32, also diverted electricity from the grid to avoid being charged for it.
Police arrived at his Beverley home at about 3am in May last year on an assault matter and found a broken window and Goussias passed out on the couch.
His lawyer previously told the court Goussias had broken into his own home, staggering back after an altercation earlier that night with the father of one of his friends.
Police noticed a new 15m shed in Goussias’ backyard, as well as items used for cultivating cannabis and an old hydroponic grow room in his house.
When they revisited the home later in the day with Goussias, he admitted to there being a grow room in the shed but said he had lost the key.
Police forced entry and found a total of 60 cannabis plants across three separate rooms.
A technician also found the electricity wires hooked up to the shed bypassed the power meter.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Patrick O’Sullivan said the plants would have been worth up to $159,000.
He said the shed was a “purpose-built” grow house and a “sophisticated and effective set-up”.
“This was a highly sophisticated operation,” Judge O’Sullivan said.
“The plants were being watered by a complex self-watering system using automatic timers and were growing under hydroponic equipment including carbon filters. In the main area of the shed police observed approximately 40 transformers and power boards.”
He said Goussias had been influenced by people with whom he had been associating and receiving marijuana.
“At the time of the offending you had been short on funds, however you accepted that you have acted in a naive fashion and a desire to promote yourself as quite tough,” Judge O’Sullivan said.
He said Goussias no longer associated with the people with whom he looked after the cannabis crop.
Goussias was sentenced to three years, two months and 13 days in prison with a non-parole period of one year and nine months.