R v Rennix [2021] NSWDC 154

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: R v Rennix [2021] NSWDC 154 Hearing dates: 2/3/21 Date of orders: 2/3/21 Decision date: 02 March 2021 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Bourke SC DCJ Decision: Convicted and sentenced to an aggregate term of imprisonment of 3 years 2 months with a NPP of 1 years 7 months (2/3/21-1/10/22). I find special circumstances. The indicative sentences are: Seq 4 Cultivate – 3 years. Seq 5 Supply – 13 months. A copy of the psychologist report of S Borenstein dated 12/1/21 is to be forwarded to Corrective Services and Justice Health. Catchwords: Crime – Sentence – Cultivate cannabis plants not less than commercial quantity – Supply cannabis leaf Legislation Cited: Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 Crime (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 Category: Sentence Parties: NSW DPP – Crown Matthew Rennix - Offender Representation: Mr N Angelovski for Crown Mr G Beveridge for Offender File Number(s): 2020/143916 Publication restriction: None

sentence 1. Mr Matthew Rennix is before the Court for sentence in relation to two offences, one being of cultivating a prohibited plant being not less than the commercial quantity. That relates to 123 cannabis plants, that being the sequence 4, which is an offence under s 23(2)(a) of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985, and carries a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment. The second offence is one of supplying a prohibited plant, namely about 81.6 grams of cannabis leaf, which is an offence under s 25(1) of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 and carries a maximum penalty of ten years' imprisonment, and that is the sequence 5 offence. The maximum penalties, of course, are important guideposts in the sentencing exercise to which I have had regard. 2. The offender pleaded guilty at an early stage and he is entitled to a discount of 25% on account of that plea, which I have taken into account.