Gary Wayne Bentley: Warwick man claims dealing weed to mates was good deed

The 51yo claimed he was only buying the illegal drug in bulk and passing it onto his mates to help them all cope with medical issues, but it didn’t stop him copping a hefty fine in court.

BUSTED: The Warwick man pleaded guilty to both producing and supplying marijuana, claiming it was to help he and his friends deal with a range of chronic health concerns. Picture: iStock

A man has claimed he was only trying to ease his friends’ and his own suffering by buying marijuana in bulk and passing it on, before moving onto growing his own stash at home.

Police raided Gary Wayne Bentley’s Wildash home on August 7, where they uncovered 220g marijuana bagged and stowed away in a bar area, along with a bong, grinder, and scales.

Warwick Magistrates Court heard officers also found six marijuana seedlings growing in pots and texts on the 51-year-old’s phone that revealed he was supplying the drug to two of his friends.

Police prosecutor Steve de Lissa said the operation was far from commercial, with Bentley stating he was giving his mates the drug to help them cope with medical and mental issues.

“Police located the (0.22 calibre) firearm. He stated he knew about it but thought he’d got rid of it and didn’t know it was there,” Sergeant de Lissa said.

Bentley appeared in court with no prior criminal history.

Defence lawyer David Svoboda said his client had suffered extreme back pain since falling off a two-storey building almost 25 years ago and struggled with other chronic health issues, and found marijuana to be the best overall treatment.

He added said Bentley then passed on the drug to two of his friends, one of whom was struggling with PTSD after serving in the army and another who was battling prostate cancer.

“Essentially what my client would do would be to go to Toowoomba, buy cannabis in bulk, share it with those two men and then for his own use. He’d do that every three or four months,” Mr Svoboda said.

“He’s been trying to wean himself off that since being charged, but that’s an ongoing process.”

Bentley pleaded guilty to one count each of supplying dangerous drugs, producing dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs, possessing a shortened firearm, and possessing drug utensils.

He was fined $1000 and no conviction was recorded.