Wendy Lucas, 43, was caught with almost a kilogram of cannabis leaf scattered across various parts of her house when police knocked on her door on the evening of July 2 this year.

Ballarat Magistrates Court yesterday heard that Lucas had planted two cannabis seedlings in her backyard, which grew into mature plants and left her with more of the drug than she knew what to do with. 

She appeared in court yesterday  and pleaded guilty to cultivating, possessing and using cannabis. Police prosecutor Senior Constable Clint Prebble said police attended Lucas’s house after receiving a call-out, and upon speaking to her inside they spotted a bag full of cannabis. 

The officers then searched the rest of her house, discovering 793 grams of cannabis leaf in total and almost half a kilogram of cannabis stem.

Defence lawyer David Tamanika said the drug was solely for personal use.

“She didn’t realise with a healthy plant you’re going to have an over-abundance compared to what you would normally buy,” he said.

Magistrate Peter Couzens accepted the explanation and fined Lucas $500 with conviction.

“It’s a lot of cannabis. You must have very green fingers or very good fertiliser or good soil,” he said. “Maybe you should try growing tomatoes next time.”