03/07/2007 00:00:00
Wales: Suspended sentence for cannabis grower
---
A Newport man caught managing "a sophisticated cannabis growing
operation" was given a suspended jail sentence yesterday.
John Thomas, aged 36, of Banc-y-Rhyd in Gwaun Valley, admitted
cultivating a banned drug.
Dean Pulling, prosecuting, told Swansea crown court Thomas set up the
operation in a garage at a house in Port Talbot shortly before he moved
in with his parents in Newport, Pembrokeshire.
advertisement
Police raided his home while he was out and found a "large quantity" of
cannabis plants reaching maturity.
Thomas had installed a heating system controlled by timing devices.
After his arrest Thomas maintained he was a heavy user of cannabis who
was trying to save money by growing it himself. He had not intended to
get involved in dealing, he said.
His barrister Francis Jones said Thomas had discovered "all the
know-how" about growing cannabis on the internet and had bought much of
the necessary equipment on E-Bay.
All told, he had only to invest 1,000 to get the venture up and running.
In addition to the suspended jail term Thomas was ordered to pay 500 in
prosecution costs and to abide by a midnight to 6am curfew for the next
three months.
Judge Michael Burr said although the government had reduced cannabis
from a class B to a class C drug the courts still took a serious view of
those who got involved in its cultivation.
http://westerntelegraph.co.uk/display.var.1514571.0.suspended_sentence_for_cannabis_grower.php
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12664
Author:
via UKCIA
|