Man jailed for workplace cake laced with drugs, sending several to hospital

Graham Jones, pictured outside the North Shore District Court after an earlier appearance. Photo / Doug Sherring

A man who baked a drug-laced cake and fed it to his workmates, sending several of them to hospital, has been jailed.

Graham Jones, 58, brought the cake, initially thought by police to be packed with amphetamines, to work in Glenfield on December 13 last year.

Ten people ate the cake - eight of whom were hospitalised - but all recovered.

Another workmate also fell ill and needed medical treatment.

Today, Judge Nevin Dawson sentenced Jones to 22 months' imprisonment in the North Shore District Court for baking the poisonous cannabis cake, alongside three other charges.

One of the victims noticed an increased heart rate and shortness of breath and believed they were having a heart attack.

Another workmate also suffered similar symptoms and three ambulances were called to the heavy machinery workshop.

Judge Dawson said it was "extremely foolish" and Jones' workmates had "no idea what was happening to them but they knew something was wrong".

"It was a frightening experience for them," he said.

"It is a normal thing for people to bring cakes to work from time to time."

The court heard that Jones was a cannabis user and when he reflects on his offending, cannot believe he would do such a thing.

He grew cannabis on his property to alleviate pain in his mouth as he treated cancer, the court heard.

Jones was due to be sentenced in April after he pleaded guilty to one representative charge for the poisoning. He had entered guilty pleas to the other charges in February.
Jones was also charged with cultivating cannabis, possession of utensils and unlawful possession of firearms after police searched his house.

Jones has no firearms licence and has a previous conviction for possession of an offensive weapon.

Judge Dawson also granted Jones leave to apply for a sentence of home detention.