Cannabis trial plants seeds of suspicion

By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS

A HAMPTON Park man had a candid discussion with a Dandenong Magistrates’ Court judge on his “lengthy relationship” with cannabis on Monday.
Gregory Jeavons, 37, pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis and using a drug of dependence.
The court heard the CFA called in police after smelling cannabis while attending a fire in Jeavons’s backyard on 25 June.
Police discovered a 70-centimetre plant – which Jeavons said was for “personal use” – in his garage.
During the hearing, magistrate Greg Connellan said it appeared Jeavons had a “lengthy relationship with cannabis”.
When Jeavons was asked if he had a desire to stop smoking cannabis, he replied: “Not really.”
Mr Connellan asked what Jeavons was doing about his drug habit.
Jeavons said: “I’ll go to counselling and try to do the right thing.”
“I’d suggest you don’t really want to but (you’re just saying that) since you’re here in court,” Mr Connellan said.
“Were you happy the plant hadn’t been destroyed in the fire, or happy the police had found it?”
Jeavons replied: “I was happy the police found it.”
“I don’t think that would be right,” Mr Connellan said.
When told that Jeavons worked at Bunnings, Mr Connellan quipped: “Not in the gardening section?”
Jeavons was fined $1100 without conviction and ordered to attend drug counselling.