By Latrishka Thomas
A Clare Hall man has been ordered to pay $16,000 for 25 cannabis plants found growing in his yard.
The plants were discovered on May 31 while the police were executing a search warrant at Darien Cornwall’s home.
Cornwall immediately admitted that the plants were his but said that he uses them for medical purposes.
The 38-year-old was charged with possessing and cultivating the plants but only admitted to the latter.
The prosecution, however, accepted his pleas and offered no evidence for the charge of possession.
The court heard that the plants weigh 9.2 pounds and are worth $23,000.
The value was debated by Cornwall’s lawyer, Wendel Robinson, who said, “There is a difference between cured cannabis and plants. The value is in relation to cured cannabis and how much it would weigh.
“The prosecution, though inadvertently, is misleading the court,” he added, requesting that the court disregard the value given by the police.
Robinson then told the court that his client does in fact have joint issues and is also allergic to painkillers and therefore used the drugs for medical treatment.
Having seen the drugs and noting their condition, Magistrate Conliffe Clarke reduced the value of the plants to $8,000 and then fined the man $16,000 which he has six months to pay.
If he fails to pay the monies to the court, he will be imprisoned for nine months.