Magistrate Letizia Torres said she was only giving Nathan Gartside this chance to undergo rehabilitation in the community because she could see he was trying to turn his life around.

Police executed a search warrant at Gartside's house in March 2020 while his partner and infant son were home.

Gartside also pleaded guilty to drug driving in October 2019.

He was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Friday.

He will be required to undergo supervision, assessment and treatment for drug use and mental health issues on the order.

His licence was cancelled for the mandatory minimum period of 12 months.

Ms Torres said Gartside would have to manage his life and work without a licence.

"You know what to do. You need to stay away from drugs," she said.

Defence lawyer Heidi Keighran had submitted during a plea hearing earlier this week Gartside had the knuckledusters as part of a collection but the ammunition could not be explained.

"His drug use is ongoing but reducing," Ms Keighran said.

"I ask your honour to take into consideration he is a father with a young family and had been offence free for three years."

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