Why a grandmother, 74, gave her grandson cannabis butter to make cupcakes for his classmates – who ended up in the school infirmary
- Pam Bickerton, 74, gave grandson cannabutter
- He got the butter for cleaning the kitchen
- The teen then sold it to classmates who got high
- She was charged after pleading guilty
A great-grandmother has faced criminal charges for providing the butter her grandson used to sell “cannabis-laced cakes” at his school.
Pam Annette Bickerton, 74, was convicted Thursday after giving cannabis butter to her grandson in exchange for housework, who then sold cannabis cupcakes at his school in Mount Barker, SA.
The plot was discovered by police after several high school students went to the nurse’s office with symptoms of cannabis use, leading staff to call the police.
Bickerton had pleaded guilty to one count of supplying or administering a controlled drug to a child before appearing before the Adelaide Magistrates Court.
The charges carried a maximum sentence of life in prison, but Bickerton was instead given a two-year good conduct bond.
Pam Annette Bickerton, 74, was convicted of one charge of supplying or administering a controlled drug to a child
Bickerton had given her grandson cannabis butter that he used in pies that he gave to classmates
After cleaning the kitchen for his grandmother, the teen baked the cakes that eventually sent his classmates to the infirmary, the court heard.
“Police learned of an allegation that a student was selling cannabis-infused cupcakes [the school after the students] presented to the infirmary with symptoms consistent with cannabis use,” Magistrate Justin Wickens said.
‘The police spoke to two students who made this known [another student] provided the cannabis-infused pies.”
“This is a very serious crime and supplying drugs to minors is a very serious crime,” he said.
After police arrived at the school to interview students, including one who returned a positive urine test for the drug, classmates called the teen, who then told police that his grandmother provided the ingredients.
When police arrived at Bickerton’s house in the following weeks, she immediately told them that she still had three bags of butter in her freezer and two bongs that were subsequently seized.
Bickerton told police and courts that she started using cannabis to help with a sleep disorder and can’t remember where she originally bought it.
After her grandson used the butter to make cupcakes that he sold to other students, the police intervened
Since the incident, Bickerton has given up on her use of the drug.
“I have heard that you are extremely sorry that you allowed this to happen,” Magistrate Wickens said.
“You are very disappointed in yourself about your actions [and] you have completely cut cannabis out of your life.”
“You have to understand the need to protect minors from illegal drug use for as long as possible.”
A sentence of 3.5 years behind bars was initially on the table for Bickerton, but fell in favor of the two-year good behavior bond.
No charges were filed against her grandson for handing out the pies.