Cannabis grower had 23 plants

27 June 2007

When police raided a house in Caister near Great Yarmouth they found 23 cannabis plants being grown in the loft with a potential yield from the crop of £25,000 in a year, Norwich Crown Court heard yesterday .

Michael Roe, 26, of Mavis John Road, Caister, admitted producing cannabis on January 25 this year.

Malcolm Robins, prosecuting, said 23 plants were found when police raided the house Roe's home.

When arrested, Roe said the cannabis was for his own use and that he was a “heavy user”.

The court heard he had previous convictions for dishonesty and one in 2001 for possessing cannabis.

The sum of £165 was also seized by police.

Andrew Oliver, defending, said Roe had since stopped using cannabis. He had smoked it in pipes without tobacco. He never sold any and smoked it all himself. He has kept out of trouble for six years.

He was given a six month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months and told to do 200 hours unpaid work for the community.

Recorder Ian Evans ordered the destruction of the drugs and paraphernalia and confiscation of the £165 which was found.

Roe was also told to pay £192 towards the costs of the prosecution.

Recorder Evans told Roe: “There is no evidence to indicate you were dealing.”