Wellington, Feb 7 NZPA - A Mount Maunganui solo father who admitted selling cannabis has been jailed for six months.

Judge Christopher Harding told Dale Anthony Pearson, 51, unemployed, he was not able to "hide behind his eight-year-old son", the Bay of Plenty Times reported.

Pearson, 51, who earlier pleaded guilty to one charge each of possession of cannabis for supply and selling cannabis and possession of cannabis, was sentenced in Tauranga District Court on Friday.

During a police search of Pearson's home on August 13, police found eight tinnies in a bag on a computer table, 10 tinnie-size empty tinfoils on the kitchen table and snaplock bags. Pearson also produced a tin of cannabis head material from his pocket. A total of 12 grams of cannabis head was seized, and two shopping bags containing 648 grams of cannabis cabbage was found in the garage.

Police again searched his home on November 26, and found 26 grams of cannabis in his bedding and four tinnies in the lounge.

Lawyer Ani Attwood told Judge Harding that Pearson was heavily addicted to dope and had taken himself to twice-weekly drug abuse counselling, was looking into medical detoxification and wanted to become drug-free.

She said he wanted to straighten his life out for his sake and that of his eight-year-old son who had hearing difficulties, and who had recently been operated on at Starship Hospital.

But Judge Harding said home detention was not appropriate for those who involved themselves in commercial cannabis dealing, even if it was on a small scale.

The judge said he was acutely aware of his Pearson's son's difficulties but Pearson could not hide behind him and there was no basis to distinguish him from others who dealt cannabis from home.

NZPA WGT mgr