Busselton man walks free after being convicted of possessing almost 2kg of cannabis

Despite being found with almost 2kg of cannabis at his Busselton home, a 65-year-old man walked free this week having his jail term match his time already in custody. Karl Fredrick Dominic Holmes appeared from Hakea Prison in Busselton District Court to plead guilty to possession of cannabis with intent to sell or supply. During a police raid on Holmes’ home in May last year, police uncovered 1.797kg of the prohibited drug in several freezers in the house. Along with scales, clip seal bags and a phone with text message proof of an “unsophisticated” commercial business, Holmes admitted to his actions. Despite the admitted commercial business he was running to fund his addiction and the large amount of cannabis material found, Judge Stephen Lemonis sentenced him to one year, one month and 13 days prison, backdated to his arrest knowing he would walk free that day. Defence lawyer Michael Laurino told the court of Holmes’ long history of trauma and medical issues which led him to turn to cannabis to self medicate. “In the 10 or so years leading up to his arrest on this matter his use of alcohol and cannabis, something which goes back to his teenage years, became heavier and entrenched,” he said. “He was using these substances on a daily basis and leading up to his time of arrest his smoking of cannabis was constant - virtually from the time he got out of bed. “He has a number of long standing medical issues... he found using (cannabis) would take the edge off his pain and he also liked the way cannabis would make him feel and he liked the way using can relaxed him.” “On a few occasions, aware he was using cannabis, (his doctor) would try suggesting prescription alternatives... he largely tended to ignore his doctor’s advice because he saw cannabis as a natural medicine and it was having the right effect. “There was also this underlying fear he would become addicted to prescribed medication.” It was revealed to the court Holmes had been growing cannabis to feed his self medication addiction for “four or five” years and had made $1000 in the past year from selling the drug to friends. While the judge recognised the commerciality of the offence and large quantity of cannabis seized needed punishment, he sentenced him to 409 days prison backdated which meant Holmes walked free that day.