Bunbury man Clinton Robert Goodchild placed on supervision order after admitting to drug dealing during search

A Bunbury man has avoided jail for cultivating and selling cannabis, which he admitted was to fund his own drug habit at the time. Clinton Robert Goodchild appeared in Bunbury Magistrate’s Court on Thursday where he was sentenced to a 12-month intensive supervision order for drug-related charges including possessing cannabis with intent to sell or supply, cultivating a prohibited plant, possessing amphetamine and possessing a controlled weapon. The court was told Goodchild was pulled over on Ecclestone Street for a traffic stop on the evening of April 8 last year and police officers conducted a search of his car, where they uncovered a baton, which Goodchild said was for self-defence because “Bunbury is a dangerous place”. Police later conducted a search at Goodchild’s home where several items were located and seized throughout the property. Seized items included two cannabis plants that had recently been stripped, several smoking implements, various quantities of cannabis material, a box of clip-seal bags, a bag containing 17 cannabis seeds, a grinder and a clip-seal bag containing 0.1g of methamphetamine. During the search, Goodchild admitted he was dealing in drugs, selling cannabis and methamphetamine to fund his own drug habit. In submissions, the court was told Goodchild had spiralled into substance misuse but had since turned his life around after completing the Alcohol and Other Drug Diversion Program. Along with the 12-month intensive supervision order, which included supervision and program requirements, Goodchild was fined a total of $900 and ordered to pay court costs.