A man found guilty of cultivating more than 60 kilograms of cannabis at Tarneit has been sentenced to five years in prison.
County Court Judge John Carmody set Troy James McClelland, 42, a non-parole period of three years and six months after a jury in August found him guilty of cultivating a commercial quantity of cannabis.
McClelland was found to have cultivated 61.48 kilograms of cannabis at a Kulin Drive property during December 2013, and was caught at the property during a police raid on December 30 of that year.
The court heard that, although it couldn’t be proven that McClelland had leased out the property, owned the hydroponic equipment or harvested any previous crops, he had visited the property at least seven times to tend the plants found during the police raid.
Judge Carmody said McClelland’s involvement in the operation warranted a jail term, ruling out a community corrections order as punishment.
Judge Carmody noted that McClelland had been using cannabis since dropping out of high school when he was 15 years old.
He also referred to McClelland’s 12 court appearances between 1993 and 2007.
These included six appearances for drug-related offending, and six for dishonesty offences.
“The lengthy history with drug possession and use is a negative factor in your prospects of rehabilitation,” Judge Carmody told McClelland.
“You have strong and unwavering support from your family. It was put on your behalf that you will be able to return to work in your [home maintenance] business upon your release from custody.
“Your biggest problem for rehabilitation will be your drug addiction. The only proper sentence is a term of imprisonment.”
