Ulster cannabis grower's bid to challenge law rejected
A convicted cannabis grower who wants the drug granted parity with alcohol and tobacco cannot take his case to the UK's highest court, a judge has ruled.
A convicted cannabis grower who wants the drug granted parity with alcohol and tobacco cannot take his case to the UK's highest court, a judge has ruled.
James Torrens-Spence was refused leave to go before the Supreme Court because he failed to establish a point of law of general public importance.
The decision effectively ends his legal battle against the classification of cannabis. The 59-year-old, from Downpatrick, Co Down, conceded: "I have nowhere to go, except to beg police to protect me from unjust legislation by not enforcing it."
Mr Torrens-Spence was fined £300 in 2011 for cultivation and possession of cannabis. Earlier this year he failed in a bid to judicially review the law which prohibits its unlicensed use.
Appearing as a self-litigant, his challenge involved claims of an abuse of power in how the Stormont Executive applies the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act.
Mr Torrens-Spence, who described taking cannabis through a vapouriser, argued that the class B drug should have equal status with alcohol and tobacco.
At that stage his case was thrown out on the basis that it involved an "impermissible attempt" to challenge an Act of Parliament. He returned to the High Court yesterday to seek permission to appeal the judgment at the Supreme Court.
But Mr Justice Treacy held that his arguments did not merit a further hearing.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk 06/11/2012
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