Max Campbell, 33, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after earlier admitting possessing cannabis for supply.
The court heard that on October 11, police went to a storage facility and the manager led them to a unit which had a strong smell of cannabis.
Police called Campbell, who was listed as the key holder for the unit, and he admitted the drugs were inside.
A search uncovered two large duffle bags containing multiple smaller clear bags of the class-C substance.
A total of about 9.5kg of "high-quality" cannabis was found, which had a potential street value of about $100,000.
The defendant told police he had stowed the drugs there on behalf of an associate and he was paid 225g of cannabis for his help.
Yesterday, counsel Meg Scally emphasised the cannabis did not belong to her client and he hardly benefited from the favour.
He also had a prescription for medicinal cannabis to treat his mental health struggles, she said.
After Campbell’s last conviction in 2020 — for threatening a taxi driver with a tyre iron — he started a successful contracting business in Central Otago, but he packed that up to help his brother after he was left with a head injury following an accident.
The defendant was also looking after his unwell mother, the court heard.
Judge Hermann Retzlaff said while the offending involved a lot of cannabis, Campbell demonstrated a "low level of sophistication and culpability".
He highlighted the defendant’s personal circumstances, remorse and willingness to undertake rehabilitation.
Judge Retzlaff sentenced Campbell to six months’ community detention (restricted to his home over each weekend) and 12 months’ supervision.
He also made an order that the cannabis be destroyed.
