Andrew Baines was arrested in April 2020 after police discovered a kilo (2.2 pounds) of cannabis with a street value of £10,000 ($12,505) and 30 cannabis plants growing in English East Midlands' home. The man, however, avoided a jail sentence. How is this possible?
Well, after hundreds of cancer patients submitted letters to the court in his defense, deputy district Judge Geraldine Kelly made a landmark ruling honoring her profession.
To Be Applauded Not Punished
When announcing her ruling at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court, Kelly said: “If the law was different, Mr. Baines would have been applauded, not punished. I take the view that a community order is justified in this case, not because of you, but because of the message we must send,” she said, per The Independent.
Baines, a cancer patient himself and father of two, was supplying hundreds of patients with medical cannabis oils. These patients felt the need to give him something in return – a chance to walk free. Some of the testimonials were specific about how Baines helped save their lives.
Thanks to their support, Baines, 46, was spared a 15-year sentence and received the lowest possible punishment – a six-month community order. His attorney, Hannah Sampson, said: “I have never seen a six-month community order imposed. If you steal a sandwich from Tesco you get 12 months.”
Why Was Baines …
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More Justice Rules: Man Who Helped Hundreds Of Cancer Patients With Illegal Cannabis Oil Saved From Jail