Craig Hadfield, 37, of Sheville Grove, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in Warrnambool Magistrates’ Court to cultivating cannabis.

The court heard a warrant led police to find eight cannabis plants at his property on October 11, the sizes ranging between five centimetres and a metre in height.

Hadfield admitted to police it was his second attempt to cultivate marijuana for personal use, as he smoked it daily. His defence counsel told the court he grew his own cannabis to avoid interacting with drug dealers.

Magistrate Jonathan Klestadt said the father of four had a responsibility to set a better example to his children.

“If you think your 11-year-old, 13-year-old and 16-year-old don’t know you smoke dope, you are a fool,” he told Hadfield. “If you think they won’t use it because you tell them not to, you’re a fool. If you want your children to be part of the drug culture I’m told you eschew, keep smoking dope.

“It’s probably too late for your 19-year-old, who would have made their own choices by now, but the others will model their behaviour on what you do. 

“This has to be the last time you come before court on drug charges.”

Mr Klestadt fined Hadfield $1500 and ordered the drugs be forfeited and destroyed.