'Medicinal' drug find
GROWING 31 cannabis plants he smoked to calm himself almost landed Maclean's Scott Crouch behind bars at Maclean Local Court on Tuesday.
After receiving a tip-off that Crouch was growing cannabis, police attended his Roderick St home and spotted numerous cannabis plants growing along the fence line of the residence behind a small shed.
After declaring the premises a crime scene, police went to Maclean Court where they applied for and were granted a search warrant.
Police then established a search team and located 31 cannabis plants along the fence of Crouch's residence.
A search of a nearby garden shed uncovered a jar full of cannabis seeds and after a fruitless search of the house police turned their attention to the garage.
In the second top draw of a tallboy unit officers located a large amount of dried cannabis weighing 89g.
Police estimates put the total drug haul at almost $35,000.
Crouch admitted to police he planted and cultivated the plants for his own personal use as he sufferers from bi-polar disorder and smokes cannabis to calm himself.
Magistrate Jeff Linden ordered Crouch to enter into a good behaviour bond for the charge of cultivate prohibited plant and fined him $100 on each of two charges of possessing a prohibited drug.
Drink-driver gets bond
DRINKING two glasses of red wine, three schooners of full-strength beer and a glass of scotch before driving was enough for Brendan Mitchell to lose his licence at Maclean Local Court on Tuesday. About 11.15pm on January 20 Mitchell was stopped in Clarence St, Yamba by police for a random breath test.
After a positive roadside reading he was conveyed to Yamba police station where he recorded the mid-range reading of .130.
Police suspended Mitchell's licence on the spot.
Magistrate Jeff Linden placed Mitchell on a good behaviour bond for 18 months and ordered him to pay $81 in court costs.
