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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Cannabis granny hits out at £400 court fine Sue Restan Scotland Today Wednesday 30 Mar 2005 A Highland grandmother who claimed she used cannabis resin to relieve pain was yesterday fined UKP400 for possession and breach of the peace. But Victoria Hodgson, 51, of Clachtoll, Lochinver, Sutherland, claimed the sentence will leave her unable to afford food or to heat her home. Hodgson said cannabis is the only drug that helps to alleviate the pain caused by her chronic back condition, thoracic scoliosis, which is a form of curvature of the spine. At an earlier hearing she denied possessing cannabis resin at three locations in Lochinver on June 24, 2002, on the grounds of necessity. Hodgson also denied committing a breach of the peace on the same date when she was arrested in a Lochinver bar, after a tip-off to police. At Dornoch Sheriff Court yesterday, Sheriff Sutherland fined Hodgson UKP400 which was added to an earlier unpaid fine of UKP75 for a similar offence. He ordered it be paid at UKP5 per week. Outside the court, Hodgson, who is an undischarged bankrupt living on income support, said: "I only have less than UKP2 per day to live on and this fine will take almost half of it. "I feel desolate, destitute and victimised. I really don't think it was in the public interest to have spent so much money prosecuting me." The mother-of-two, with two grandchildren, added that she felt she had no choice but to carry on using cannabis to ease her pain. Defence agent Duncan Henderson yesterday urged the sheriff not to impose a financial penalty as his client could barely afford to live. He called for sentence to be deferred for good behaviour. He explained that essential outgoings left Hodgson with just under UKP2 a day for day-to-day living expenses. Mr Henderson also pointed out that the British Medical Association recommended people who broke the law in this way should be treated with compassion. Earlier, Sheriff Sutherland failed to accept that Hodgson needed to use cannabis for medicinal purposes, and last December he convicted her of possession of the drug and breach of the peace. He deferred sentence until yesterday for the preparation of a social inquiry report. Hodgson's trial started on June 22 and at the time Constable Murdo Smith said Hodgson had to be handcuffed after she started shouting and swearing when confronted. She was taken to the police station where cannabis resin was found in a film-spool container in her bag. A warrant was issued to search Hodgson's house and more cannabis was found there. The case was adjourned until September 13 when Hodgson told the court: "If I do not use cannabis, I go into muscle spasm. I am in incredible pain all the time. I cannot lay down or sit down. I cannot function normally in any way whatsoever." Hodgson's GP, Dr Katie Edwards, confirmed her patient suffered serious side effects from traditional anti-inflammatory painkillers, and physiotherapy did not seem to ease her pain.
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