‘Bishop Herb Green’ Andrew McLennan and Marlie-Rae Ohrin jailed after police weed bust in Alawa home

A Top End poet known as the ‘Bishop Herb Green’ and his girlfriend have been jailed after police discovered a mysterious package in the post.

Goon Bag Artist Andrew "Noodle E String" McLennan were sentenced on Friday after pleading guilty to multiple drug charges in the Supreme Court. Picture GLENN CAMPBELL

Two ‘hippies’ who traded poetry, cannabis and LSD to fund their “alternative lifestyle” have been jailed after police seized a mysterious package in the post.

Andrew Hugh McLennan, also known as the Bishop Herb Green and Noodle E String, and his partner Marlie-Rae Ohrin were sentenced after pleading guilty to multiple drug charges in the Supreme Court.

Both the 61-year-old poet and his de facto partner were hit with prison sentences for cultivating cannabis plants and commercial drug supply in their Alawa home.

Justice John Reeves said their homegrown operation was busted after police intercepted a package from New South Wales containing 144g of cannabis plant material at the Winnellie Post Office.

Police then raided their home on July 21, 2023 where they uncovered 1.351kg of cannabis plants - nearly three times the commercial quantity limit.

Goon bag artist Andrew ‘Noodle E String’ McLennan walks out of Local court in Darwin. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Cops also seized eight and half times the trafficable limit of lysergic acid (LSD) — with the drug haul weighing 0.017g.

Justice Reeves said a “sophisticated” hydroponic set-up and methamphetamines were also found.

Despite their defence lawyer telling the court they were not profiting significantly off the drug sales — with no evidence of “large amounts of cash” or “a lavish lifestyle” — Justice Reeves found the scale of the operation could not be dismissed.

“You were growing and selling a not insignificant amount of cannabis,” he said.

McLennan was described as a poet, florist and freelance journalist who had glowing character references.

The Darwin identity is also the inventor of the goon handbag, a recycled fashion statement made from a 4L cask of wine, which he wore during sentencing.

Goon Bag Artist Andrew "Noodle E String" McLennan with his collection of wine inspired handbags. Picture GLENN CAMPBELL

McLennan told the court he had used drugs since he was 15, and had a medical cannabis script for anxiety and insomnia.

Justice Reeves said despite McLennan’s positive character references, “largely unblemished” history, and good prospects of rehabilitation, he had to sentence him to a prison term under the mandatory sentencing laws.

McLennan will have to spend 28 days in prison, with the remainder of his two year and two month sentence suspended.

Justice Reeves was not as lenient to his de facto partner due to her “relatively significant recent and serious history of prior offending” in Queensland for drug trafficking

The 39-year-old mother started to weep as she was sentenced to two years and eight months jail, with parole eligibility after 18 months.