Darren Engert pleads guilty to cultivating prohibited plant, drug supply

The high price of medicinal marijuana prompted a chronic pain sufferer to grow his own remedy, leading to a ‘sophisticated’ set-up in his suburban home complete with lights, fans and growth tents, a court has heard.

Darren Engert Leaves Parramatta District Court

The high price of medicinal marijuana prompted a chronic pain sufferer to grow his own crops, through a ‘sophisticated’ set-up in his suburban home, a court has heard.

Woodford man Darren Engbert, 51 faced Parramatta District Court after previously pleading guilty to cultivating between a small and indictable amount of a prohibited plant, supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and not having approved ammunition storage as a holder of Category A or B licence.

Engert was arrested in July last year, when police received a tip off that cannabis was being cultivated at his two storey house on a quiet cul-de-sac in Sydney’s west.

Police were invited in by Engert who made voluntary admissions that “he had a few plants for personal use because of a bad back”, the court heard.

According to agreed facts read out by Judge Stephen Hanley, police went upstairs where they smelt cannabis and discovered 44 marijuana plants, which was “a lot more than indicated” across three separate bedrooms.

Darren Engert Leaves Parramatta District Court

Police observed plants at “varying stages of maturity” growing through a “fairly sophisticated hydroponic set up” with lights, fans. growth tents and hoses leading between the rooms.

The house was declared a crime scene and a subsequent search warrant uncovered 6 tubs of cannabis butter in the fridge, and nearly two kilos of cannabis leaf in a sandwich bag.

Rounds of black hawk ammunition were also located in a bedroom drawer, which Engert explained was because “there was no room” in his safe.

During a sentencing hearing, defence solicitor Varinder Paward told the court “there was no commerciality” in his client’s enterprise which was solely aimed at treating his pain.

Cannabis plants seized from an unrelated raid in Aberglasslyn. Picture: NSW Police

“He needed medicinal cannabis but couldn’t afford it then, he wouldn’t even be here today looking down the barrel of a long custodial sentence,” Mr Paward said.

Mr Paward also said that Engert wanted cannabis of a “a very low dosage”, specifically for pain relief because he did not enjoy the adverse effects of high strength THC.

Judge Hanley took into account Engert’s lack of prior convictions, good character and strong employment history as factors for why full time custody was not an appropriate penalty.

“I am satisfied the defendant is not a threat to the community and this serious criminal behaviour is inconsistent with his prior good character”, he said.

Engert, who was supported in court by various friends and family members was visibly relieved when Judge Hanley handed down a non custodial sentence.

Darren Engert was convicted and sentenced to an intensive corrections order of two years to be served in the community.