[420 Girl]

A grandmother who grew 44 cannabis plants in her Hurstbridge flat has received a one-month suspended sentence.

Michelle Gervasi, 54, claimed the marijuana was for medical use when she pleaded guilty in Heidelberg Magistrates' Court to one charge of illegally cultivating a narcotic plant.

The court heard police found 42 cannabis seedlings growing hydroponically in the bathroom and another two in a wardrobe in a search of the unemployed woman's Department of Human Services flat at Hurst Cottages in Anzac Ave.

They also found a variety of drug paraphernalia.

Gervasi's brother-in-law, Armanto Marano, was arrested during the March 29 raid while Gervasi was arrested when she returned home later.

Following the raid Greensborough divisional tasking unit Constable Angela Hay told the DV Leader the set-up was amateurish and said the 10cm plants were too small to be harvested.

"It wasn't exactly a great set-up," she said.

Defence lawyer Nicola Pachinger told the court Gervasi was growing the drug for personal use to treat a variety of health problems, including chronic depression, osteoporosis, lupus and irritable bowel syndrome.

Gervasi, who had a conviction for theft nine years earlier, was extremely embarrassed and felt she had disgraced herself, Ms Pachinger said. She said the crime was a "stupid error".

Magistrate Barry Docking said he took into account Gervasi's age and lack of similar prior offences as he sentenced her to one month in jail, suspended for nine months, on July 4.

A Craigieburn man, 61, also charged in relation to the matter, is due to appear in Heidelberg Magistrates' Court on August 15.

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