Brett John Waters in court for producing drugs

A carer has fronted court on multiple charges, including growing 84 plants, and argued that although he had script for cannabis oil to manage his pain, it was too expensive.

Brett John Waters leaves Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Thursday, August 24, 2023

A Urangan man caught with 84 cannabis plants in his home and drug-producing equipment has been given a three-month suspended jail term.

Brett John Waters, 45, pleaded guilty to five charges including the production and possession of dangerous drugs, when he fronted Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on Thursday.

The court heard that at 8am on August 2, police raided a Urangan address and arrested Waters.

They found paraphernalia, 84 cannabis plants, 37g of cannabis leaves and numerous pieces of equipment used to produce the drug, including lights, fans and fertilisers.

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The police prosecutor said Waters “has not received the message from a previous sentence”, referring to the time he was convicted of having 60 cannabis plants on his property.

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Waters’ duty lawyer said while it was no excuse for producing the plants, he (Waters) used cannabis as a “pain medication” to help him deal with serious injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident.

She said he had a medical subscription to cannabis oil but it was “too expensive”.

Waters was the full-time carer of his 73-year-old mother who was “bedridden” after recent bowel surgery, the court heard.

Magistrate Stephen Guttridge gave Waters a three months suspended jail sentence and fined him $750 dollars.