A Toronto criminal lawyer, who was found guilty of smuggling marijuana into the Don Jail is expected to be sentenced on May 4.

Deryk Gravesande appeared at the Old City Hall courthouse last Thursday as Judge Wayne Rabley delivered his decision to a group of disappointed supporters.

Gravesande was charged in 2012 with trafficking after delivering eight parcels of marijuana, some containing rolled cigarettes, to a client in the jail in January of the same year. The total was 58 grams of marijuana, the Crown said.

Rabley said, “Without question, this is a serious case,” adding it’s the “kind judges wrestle with.”

According to reports, correctional officers became suspicious during the 2012 visit after smelling marijuana on Gravesande. A search of his client following their meeting revealed the drugs.

Rabley said while Gravesande’s testimony was credible, he said the video evidence matches correctional officer’s testimony about the odour arriving with the lawyer.

“If we are to believe the smell came with him, we must believe he brought it,” Rabley said.

The lawyer representing Gravesande said he was disappointed with the verdict. “It’s too early to talk about an appeal,” Frank Addario said. The CLA president Anthony Moustacalis said criminal lawyers will be reluctant to visit their clients in jails when procedures aren’t followed. He said the guards could have questioned and searched Gravesande if they suspected him of carrying drugs.“The failure for them to follow procedures like that puts all criminal defence lawyers in jeopardy in situations like this.”