A Rio Claro gardener has been awarded more than half a million dollars in damages after the High Court found he was maliciously prosecuted for a drug charge that dragged on for 13 years.

Justice Margaret Mohammed delivered the ruling on July 11, awarding the man a total of $484,788, including general, special, and exemplary damages, plus interest and legal costs.

The man, who asked that his name not be published, was charged in 2004 with possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. The court found that the police had no reasonable cause to pursue the prosecution, and that officers had fabricated evidence to support the charge.