Grant Adam McKee sentenced for producing dangerous drugs at Rosemount home

A Sunshine Coast man has been sentenced for growing 21 cannabis plants and 2.6kg worth of dried cannabis at his home for personal use, a court has heard.

A Rosemount man has avoided jail time after he was caught with enough cannabis to make more than 8600 marijuana joints and 21 cannabis plants he’d been growing for personal use.

Grant Adam McKee, 60, pleaded guilty in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on July 29, 2022, to producing and possessing a dangerous drug and possessing anything used in the commission of a crime.

Police had found at McKee’s property 21 cannabis plants, including seven mature plants, which exceeded 10kg in weight, on January 27, 2022.

The court heard police also found 2.6kg of dried cannabis in buckets and the drug squad had calculated the haul would equate to about 8600 rolled joints.

Police also found plastic bags, leafy material and other drug-related items.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable David Hoffman said while there was no evidence to suggest McKee was growing the plants for commercial use, the equivalent street value of the seven mature plants equalled $17,500.

A Rosemount man has been sentenced for producing cannabis. Picture: iStock

The court heard the total street value for the dried cannabis would have been $3000 a pound, or $17,180 in total.

“The elements are a very sophisticated set up,” Senior Constable Hoffman said.

“We’re not alleging he’s making sales but it is a very large amount of cannabis.

“It’s not a small amount, it’s not a small bag, he hasn’t got one plant out the back where he’s harvesting a small amount to keep him medicated.”

McKee’s solicitor, Neesa Maidwell, said her client has since received a medical certificate to access medicinal cannabis.

“He was using cannabis to self medicate for quite some period of time into the future,” she said.

Magistrate Rod Madsen said despite the large volume of cannabis found he accepted there was no commercial element involved.

“I accept totally there was no commerciality alleged,” he said.

“I can’t form any inference that you were going to share it with any person in particular but I think it’s reasonable for me to infer that this was not just for you despite what I’ve been told by your solicitor.”

McKee was given a head sentence of four months’ jail, which was wholly suspended for 12 months.

Convictions were recorded for all three offences.