Cannabis-growing organic farmer says illegal guns 'to protect his veggies'

Otago Daily Times

2 days ago

A South Otago organic farmer had cannabis growing on his rural property and a safe full of guns under his bed, a court has heard.
Wairuna Organics owner Shaun James McVicker, 61, was before the Gore District Court yesterday for possessing the guns and ammunition without a licence, and growing and possessing cannabis on his 10-acre Clinton farm.
The police summary said a police search warrant was executed on the semi-rural property on March 4, discovering a Winchester shotgun, a .22 calibre Norinco bolt-action rifle, a .303 Lee Enfield bolt-action rifle, a .22 cali bolt-action rifle and ammunition locked in a safe in his bedroom.
The ammunition in the safe consisted of 342 .22 calibre live rounds, 72 live shotgun rounds and 20 .303 calibre live rounds.
McVicker said he used the firearms to protect his certified organic produce, the summary said.
Also found were five mature cannabis plants growing in soil and a glass jar containing 43.32gm of cannabis head.
In court, Judge Duncan Harvey said he was unsure at first which crops the defendant said he was protecting — his vegetables or his cannabis.
"After I found out a bit more about you, I now understand what you meant by that," the judge said.
"You are an organic farmer, you've been growing vegetables for many, many years, and I accept that that is what you were referring to."
Judge Harvey said the man's response was essentially "so what" to the cannabis.
The judge also said the case was unusual as the firearms were locked in a safe, as opposed to being left strewn about the place.
"He behaves as if he has a firearms licence, but unfortunately he has not."
Defence counsel John Fraser said his client led a relatively reclusive life on his organic farm.
McVicker said he no longer held firearms and now had other community members come to shoot the rabbits on his property.
The court heard the man had health issues and was self-medicating with the cannabis, but had since got a legal prescription for the drug.
"I am satisfied that your use of cannabis has been solely for your own purposes," the judge said.
"There is no suggestion that you have been selling that cannabis or supplying that cannabis to anybody else."
It was "quite clear" the vegetable-grower had a history of cannabis use due to his prior convictions, the judge said, but he had no previous firearms convictions.
The man had letters from the the community speaking highly of his character, the judge said.
"It is clear that you have done an enormous amount of good in your community, and I suspect you continue to do so," Judge Harvey said.
For the possession of firearms, ammunition, cultivating and possessing the cannabis, the judge sentenced McVicker to 150 hours' community service.
The judge said that so Corrections could "keep an eye on his health", the defendant was sentenced to 12 months' supervision.
[e-mail]