A man who grew and sold cannabis was making some extra money so he could visit his children in Australia, Tauranga District Court was told today.
One of them was ill with leukaemia.
But instead, Stuart Ian McDowell is off to prison. The conviction has also cost him his job and his flat.
When the 39-year-old carpenter appeared for sentence, Judge Louis Bidois jailed him for a year.
McDowell had earlier pleaded guilty to two charges - possessing the drug for supply and cultivating plants, which he grew at different locations along roadways.
His previous convictions included similar charges, which was an aggravating feature, the judge said.
When police raided McDowell's home last October, they found $4045 cash, mainly in $20 notes. It was in a drawer with a passport and travel documents to Australia, his lawyer Glenn Barnett told the court.
"That money has now gone to the Australian Government to pay support commitments for his children," said Mr Barnett.
It was to have funded McDowell's fare to see his sick child.
The defendant told police when they busted him that, when the plants he grew were mature, he dried and packaged them in bags which he sold to friends and work mates for $200 to $300.
He admitted selling two or three bags of cannabis a week "but sometimes none".
When his home was searched there was about 28gm of cannabis head in each of eight snap lock bags.
Police also found a "tick list" of 20 names with dollar amounts entered beside them.
Digital scales with cannabis residue on them were in a kitchen drawer and a box of new lock bags was also stored there.
