A COUPLE who had $10,000 worth of cannabis growing in their Treweeke Street backyard were quick to lay the blame on each other.
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In the end it was Kelli-Maree Grace Dobel who owned up to possessing the plants, after she and her partner both denied even knowing the five mature plants were there, despite the pots being in plain view.
Police facts tendered in Orange Local Court said the plants were about 60 centimetres tall and both Dobel and her partner had admitted to hanging the washing, mowing the lawn and using the outside gym in full view of the illegal specimens, but both said they had no idea they were there.
Police attended the house on January 1 to execute a search warrant.
After banging on the front door multiple times, officers had to force it open, because they believed they heard people attempting to escape the property.
Eventually Dobel’s partner showed officers to the garage where they saw various items used for hydroponic cultivation of marijuana.
He told officers he owned them, but said the outside plants were Dobel’s.
Dobel told the same story, but said that the plants were her partner’s.
Police continued their search of the property and found dried cannabis, a bong used for smoking cannabis and syringes.
Eventually Dobel told police the plants belonged to her and in Court on Thursday, the magistrate Terry Lucas fined her $2000 for cultivating and possessing marijuana.