Not just grass growing for the goats in drug user’s backyard

A goat owner who failed to register his animals was growing marijuana plants in his backyard and was busted for his crimes after an Australia Post intercept.

Angus Liam Blake Morris, 21, had five marijuana plants and three goats in his backyard. He pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on August 5 to charges in relation to the goats and marijuana

A goat owner who failed to register his animals was growing marijuana plants in his backyard and was busted for his crimes after an Australia Post intercept.

Angus Liam Blake Morris, 21, pleaded guilty on August 5 to two counts of possessing a dangerous drug, one of producing a dangerous drug, one count of failing to appropriately record the movement of goats, one of failing to register special designated animals (goats) and one of failing to fit the goats with Livestock Identification System devices.

Angus Liam Blake Morris, 21, had five marijuana plants and three goats in his backyard. He pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on August 5 to charges in relation to the goats and marijuana

Police prosecutor Brandy Butler said police were called to the Australia Post building in Berserker on July 5 in relation to a suspicious package.

She said they opened the package and found five clip-seal bags containing marijuana seeds.

Morris told police he paid $200 for 20 seeds.

Police executed a search warrant on Morris’s residence on July 9 at 8.45am with his grandfather answering the door and advising police Morris was not home.

Police searched Morris’s bedroom and found a grey jewellery pouch containing two clip-seal bags of marijuana weighing less than a gram.

They found five marijuana plants out the back, all 40 centimetres tall, “healthy and well fed”.

Angus Liam Blake Morris, 21, had five marijuana plants and three goats in his backyard. He pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on August 5 to charges in relation to the goats and marijuana

When police returned on July 12, Morris told them he had been growing the marijuana plant for four to five weeks, watering them daily.

Police also found three goats, two males and one female, in the backyard on July 9, which didn’t have Livestock Identification System devices attached.

Ms Butler said the goats were in a fenced area.

She said Morris told police he had purchased the goats from someone at Thompson’s Point on March 8, 2020, and was unaware of the biosecurity obligations including the need to register the animals.

Defence lawyer Samantha Legrady said Morris was a contractor at QMAG.

She said he was in the process of sorting out his biosecurity obligations now.

Morris had no criminal record prior to being charged for the marijuana offences.

He was fined $900 for the goat offences, $900 for producing marijuana and place on a good behaviour bond for 12 months with the condition he undergoes a drug diversion program and with a $600 recognisance.