Fiona Wright, formerly Hull, 48, of Spring Dam Road, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to breaching bail and drug-related offences. 

She was placed on an 18-month community corrections order with conditions she do 100 hours of community work.

Lawyer Amanda Chambers said Wright’s 28-year marriage had recently ended and that her adult sons were facing their own legal issues. 

She said her client’s priors showed she had been using cannabis for most of her adult life and that she suffered from depression. 

Magistrate Ronald Saines said there was “no doubt” a connection between Wright’s illicit drug use and her mental health.

He said she had repeatedly used cannabis for 30 years, setting a poor example for her five children.

“If you don’t draw a parallel between your drug use and where your children are now, you are missing something,” he said. 

On July 11 2018, Wright was intercepted driving a Holden Captiva on the Princes Highway at Terang about 8.30pm.

Police located a vacuum sealed bag in the back seat with three smaller bags inside holding a total of 1.257 kg of cannabis.

Officers also located $580 cash that Wright said was to pay electricity and mechanic bills.

She said the cannabis was for her personal use and for her son, so he didn't use ice.

Wright said an envelope had been placed in the back of her car and then exchanged for the cannabis.

She was arrested and later released on bail with conditions she pay a $3000 surety, obey a curfew and comply with the Court Integrated Services Program, including not using illicit drugs.

Then on October 19 a search warrant executed at her property located 600g of cannabis.

She told police she couldn’t help using the drug and that it was for personal use. 

Wright has nine prior offences relating to drugs and other court appearances for assaults, thefts and breaching an intervention order.