Man found with 24 cannabis plants grew them to smoke himself, court hears

A young father-of-one found in possession of 24 cannabis plants grew them to smoke himself, a court has heard.

A young father-of-one found in possession of 24 cannabis plants grew them to smoke himself, a court has heard

A YOUNG father-of-one found in possession of 24 cannabis plants grew them to smoke himself, a court has heard.

Nikolas Tarnowski, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of cultivating a commercial quantity of a prohibited plant.

On May 7, 2020 police were called to an Alice Springs home for an unrelated incident.

Police found 24 cannabis plants and two smoking utensils.

Tarnowski told police approximately six months previously he found five cannabis plants in pots about 20 metres from his backyard fence, but did not know who they belonged to.

He took the plants back to his dad’s house and continued the cultivation of the plants after researching how to do so off the internet.

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The court heard he planned to fill up an ounce bag for personal use but instead smoked it virtually straight away, and had pulled up six plants and smoked them for his mental health issues and disabilities.

Justice Stephen Southward said he “did not share the cannabis he grew with anyone”.

“He told police he tended to the plants each day and took pride in them.

“It was not commercial in nature.

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“The crown accepts the offender did not intend to supply the cannabis for commercial gain however he took possession of the plants, tended to them daily and harvested the buds.

“He also propagated some of the cannabis plants from seeds and cultivated them on his parents’ property contrary to their wishes.”

The court heard he had no previous drug convictions.

Tarnowski was convicted and sentenced to nine months prison, suspended on the day.

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