NSW gran had cannabis 'for dying daughter'

A great-grandmother claimed that 67 grams of cannabis found with cash and deal bags in her home was used by her self-medicating dying daughter.

Barbara Stiff outside Waverley court in Sydney

A great-grandmother claims the cannabis found with cash in her home was used by her dying daughter. (AAP)

As a 79-year-old great-grandmother living in Sydney's eastern suburbs, Barbara Stiff did not fit the bill for a drug supplier.

But hidden in her Malabar unit were 67 grams of cannabis, which she admitted to police that she planned to sell.

Stiff was given a four-month suspended jail sentence when she appeared in Waverley Local Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to drug supply and dealing with the suspected proceeds of crime.

Magistrate Robbie Williams told the court that based on Stiff's submissions to police, she saw monetary gain from the cannabis.

Barrister William Barber told the court that Stiff had allowed her ill daughter to smoke cannabis in her home when she lived with her.

"She was in a great deal of pain and was using cannabis for pain relief," he said of the daughter.

Mr Barber said the daughter, who died last year, would obtain cannabis in bulk with other people in a "similar position" in the public housing that Stiff lived in.

Police raided Stiff's unit on June 27 last year and found 67g of cannabis in multiple locations around the home.

Mr Barber said the drugs had been there for a very long time and Stiff no longer had any use for the cannabis after her daughter's death.

But according to the facts, Stiff admitted to police that $295 found in her wallet was from selling cannabis to six people.

During the raid, police also found $100 cash in a tin with cannabis and five plastic deal bags.

Stiff admitted to police that she planned to sell the cannabis.

Cannabis was also found in a bag in a bedroom and another kitchen tin.

Magistrate Williams told the court that while it was not a sophisticated system, there was a clear system of supply.

He said police also found a "drug ledger" at Stiff's house, with names and amounts of money listed.

The court was told that Wednesday marked nine months since Stiff's daughter died.

Mr Barber said his client was embarrassed by the case, which had attracted wide media coverage.

He said the housing commission was trying to remove her from her unit where she had been for more than 30 years.

Stiff received a four-month suspended jail sentence and a four-month good behaviour bond.

Outside court, Mr Barber said Stiff had been through a very difficult 12 months and was relieved that the case was over.


Share

3 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world