A heavy cannabis user who was found with a growing system large enough to produce a £47,000 crop told police it was all for his own use.
Christian Cook grew 56 plants at his home in Kingsteignton using equipment he bought on Facebook or at car boot sales.
He claimed the crop was his first attempt at growing but a Judge at Exeter Crown Court told him he ’must be a very accomplished gardener’ if that was true.
Unemployed Cook, aged 41, of Fouracre Way, Kingsteignton, admitted production of cannabis and was jailed for 20 months, suspended for two years and ordered to undertake 35 days rehabilitation activities to cure his drug habit.
Judge Phillip Wassall told him:’I find it difficult to accept that this was your first attempt to grow cannabis, but I do so. This was clearly a pretty sophisticated operation.
’It was properly set up and was a commercial set-up. You must have been an accomplished gardener. I accept you were a very heavy user but there was simply no way you were going to use this amount of cannabis.
’You were never going to smoke it all so it is inevitable some would have got back into the system at some time."
Miss Janice Eagles, prosecuting, said police raided Cook’s home on February 22 last year and found a growing system with lights and ventilation and 56 plants, which looked as if they had been grown from seeds.
Depending on their future growth and how the product was sold, the potential value of the yield was calculated by police drug experts at £15,680 to £47,040.
Miss Eagles said:’In interview he said it was his first attempt at growing. He said he got the equipment off Facebook or bought it at car boot sales. He said the cannabis was for his own use."
Mr Kevin Hopper, defending, said Cooks’ previous convictions show he is a user of cannabis rather than a supplier. He said he is now keen to break his habit and wants to work with the probation service to do so.