A Darwin man has admitted to eating a cannabis plant in an attempt to destroy evidence during a police drug search at his house.
Simon Victor Pedersen, 47, pleaded guilty in Darwin Local Court on Wednesday to one count of destroying evidence he knew would be used in criminal proceedings and one count of possessing less than a trafficable quantity of a dangerous drug.
The court heard Pedersen was living in a converted bus in September 2017 when police officers arrived at his property to carry out a dangerous drug search.
Pedersen was asked by the detectives to exit the bus, but as he did so he was observed grabbing a small cannabis plant and putting it in his mouth, destroying the plant by ingesting it.
Prosecutors told the court officers located two other plants at the site.
Pedersen's lawyer, Peter Maley, said his client had "panicked" and ate one of the smaller plants.
Mr Maley said Pedersen did not smoke cannabis and they were his then-girlfriend's plants.
Judge Michael Carey convicted Pedersen and fined him $200 plus levies.
