Judge gives Rosemary Gardner a wholly suspended sentence for role in $72m marijuana plantation; tells her to stay away from 'evil' father

DAUGHTER of one of Queensland's biggest drug lords walks free over role in $72m dope plantation after judge tells her to stay away from "evil'' father.

Rosie Gardner, outside court on Thursday, was given a wholly suspended sentence.

THE daughter of one of Queensland's biggest drug lords has walked free from court after being told by a judge to stay away from her "evil'' father.

Rosemary Gardner was on Thursday jailed for four years in the Supreme Court in Brisbane for her part in a $72 million marijuana plantation but was given a wholly suspended sentence partly because her father is a horrible man.

Ms Gardner, 35, is the daughter of Michael Bennett Gardner Sr, who is serving 13 years' jail for running a massive drug plantation at Inglewood, southwest of Toowoomba.

He had primary school aged children work on the plantation, which had a stockpile of long-range rifles scopes, more than 10,000 round of live ammunition and military night vision goggles.

A tearful Ms Gardner, who hugged supporters after learning she would walk free from court, has co-operated with law enforcement on another matter, which cannot be identified.

Supreme Court Judge Roslyn Atkinson, who sentenced Ms Gardner, also sentenced her father in 2012, and remarked, ``he's not easy to forget''.

``He had a lot of child slave labour to help (him on the drug farm) what an evil man he was,'' Justice Atkinson said.

``What a dominating personality. He thought he could dominate the court.''

The court was told Ms Gardner helped maintain and package the cannabis crop and in 2007 organised a family planting day when she was pregnant.

Justice Atkinson said Ms Gardner's case highlighted the complexity of sentencing.

``This is extremely serious offending and those who are considering involving themselves in growing of cannabis (on this scale) should be deterred with the knowledge they will be caught and punished,'' she said.

She read out a report from Ms Gardner's psychologist stating that the mother of four, whose youngest child is 3 years old, had a childhood marred by manipulation, cruelty and abandonment.

Her mother committed suicide when Ms Gardner was 16 years old.

Ms Gardner was subject to physical and psychological violence by her father, whose control over the family made her do things that were out of character, the court heard.

``You will need to be careful. Your father will be released from jail,'' Justice Atkinson said.

``It is important that you separate yourself from him.''

Justice Atkinson said Ms Gardner had no prior criminal history, was a hardworking sole parent, and an animal lover who had volunteered her time to a charity.

``You should also be given credit for the cooperation that you have now given, which I will not go into in may more detail at this stage.''

Ms Gardner's conviction is the last in a Queensland Police Service investigation into the plantation that led to the jailing of her father and others.

The drugs, on the property Kinvarra, were planted on five plots, each more than 700 sq m. One plot exceeded 1400 sq m.

The total weight of the dried cannabis was about 3.26 tonnes.

Gardner Sr, who remains in jail, tried to claim that he was growing the drugs to campaign against abortion.