Man who hid cannabis in laundry basket jailed

Friday 26 January 2018

A 59-year-old man who hid seven bars of cannabis resin in a laundry basket has been sentenced to eight months in prison.

Michael Joseph Fannon pleaded guilty to three drugs-related offences, including one of possession with intent to supply, in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Legal adviser Advocate Darry Robinson told the Court that when Police officers went to Fannon's house, they found a small amount of cannabis in his pocket. He then told officers that a large amount of cannabis was kept in a laundry basket. Officers found seven bars, weighing a total of 678g.

Fannon admitted in interviews he had purchased 900g of cannabis and had used part of it and sold the rest.

Advocate Jane Grace, who was defending Fannon, told Court that although Fannon's views on cannabis "don’t seem to have changed over the years", he had been very cooperative with police. He told them of his intention to use some of the cannabis and sell some of it, but indicated that he had not fully participated in the drug sale.

Pictured: The Magistrate's Court, where Fannon was sentenced.

Advocate Grace said that Fannon had been imprisoned in 2008 but that this new offence marked the first time he found himself back in court. She said he was now committed to abstinence and had learned his lesson. "He won't keep taking cannabis," she told Court, adding that Fannon had sought assistance of his doctor. 

She urged the Court to give Fannon the benefit of the doubt and to allow him to "continue working and making a positive contribution to our society." 

Handing down her sentence, Magistrate Bridget Shaw said that the fact Fannon admitted to buying 900g was entirely to his credit. She said that while the difference between what Fannon supplied and used himself was not clear, there was clearly a possession with intent to supply.

"There is a serious record where drugs are concerned and up to date, there hasn’t been a substantial change in you. You are now saying you want to change your habits but it remains to be seen whether you can sustain… You knew what you were doing, you were not naïve about it. I don’t think community service is appropriate,” she concluded.