Mission River man says 1.3kg of cannabis was for self-medication

A Weipa man has claimed in a Cairns court that he kept a sizeable stash of cannabis at his remote Mission River camp home for medicinal and practical reasons.

Darryl Roy Mitchell, 64, pleaded guilty in Cairns Magistrates Court to seven charges, including possessing 1.311kg of cannabis.

A Weipa man with a 50-year drug habit has explained to a Cairns magistrate that he preferred to buy his “medicinal” cannabis “in bulk” because of his isolated bush camp living situation.

Mission River man Darryl Roy Mitchell, 64, pleaded guilty in Cairns Magistrates Court to seven charges, including possessing 1.311kg of cannabis, a bong, digital scales, cryovac machine and ziplock bags, and failing to properly dispose of 20 uncapped, used syringes, found in his caravan.

Defence lawyer Madison Thieme said Mitchell had several medical issues related to a workplace injury and was now confined to a wheelchair.

She said he self-medicated for the pain and intended to pursue a legal prescription for medical cannabis when he was out of prison.

Mitchell had been using cannabis for 50 years, and planned to get a medical marijuana prescription to manage pain from a workplace injury.

Ms Thieme said Mitchell was being held in remand on other matters that would be heard before the District Court.

“He instructs he’s a long-term drug user who has been smoking cannabis for around 50 years,” Ms Thieme told the court.

“Mr Mitchell moved to Weipa after he had an accident on a worksite and has been using cannabis to manage his pain.”

Magistrate Kellie Walker said Mitchell seemed to be in obvious pain, even through his sentencing, and accepted that the drugs he kept were for personal use.

She sentenced him to three months’ prison, wholly suspended for three months, and took into account the 183 days Mitchell had been in custody since his arrest on these and other charges on January 29 this year.

Magistrate Kellie Walker accepted the drugs Mr Mitchell possessed were for personal use.

“Because you lived so remotely, you’d buy in bulk and at time of arrest, you were using about an ounce a week,” Ms Walker said.

“I accept you’ve used cannabis to manage your pain.”

Ms Walker ordered that the items used in connection with the drugs be forfeited to the Crown and also ordered that $3000 confiscated by the police during his arrest be returned to Mitchell after the police discontinued one of the charges against him.

“That’s going to buy me a metal detector – excellent,” Mitchell told the court.

Originally published as Mission River man says 1.3kg of cannabis was for self-medication