Amputee's drug crop 'eased pain'

It was a desperate quest for pain relief that led double amputee Stephen John Tiplady to grow cannabis in his garage, the Blenheim District Court heard yesterday.

When police found the growing operation, 12 maturing plants were under lights and in the corner of the garage a converted fridge housed another 20 smaller cannabis plants.

The 53-year-old Spring Creek man, who lost an arm and a leg in an accident, had read about the pain relief cannabis could give. He then researched how to grow it because he did not want to buy from dealers. Through trial and error he established enough plants to create a constant supply of cannabis.

Tiplady's lawyer, Mike Hardy Jones, said Tiplady was "at his wits' end" because of the pain he suffered daily and had been forced to give up his job.

He said this was partly because the pain relief medication given to him by doctors meant most days he could not get out of bed.

Mr Hardy Jones said once he was caught, Tiplady swore never to use cannabis again.

"It was done for a genuine, albeit misguided, purpose," Mr Hardy Jones said.

"For him to find himself in this situation now is devastating for him and his family."

Judge Tony Zohrab said Tiplady's research had led to a sophisticated growing operation. Tiplady took up to 20 pills a day for his pain, which caused significant problems.

The defendant was fined $1250 plus $130 court costs. Unable to sentence Tiplady to community work because of his condition, Judge Zohrab said that on his minimal income, the fine would be enough punishment.

He said Tiplady had no previous cannabis convictions and if he was caught growing cannabis again the outcome would be different.