A man has been given a suspended jail sentence after he was caught growing cannabis plants in his flat in Huddersfield.
Leeds Crown Court heard two police officers went to Holme Park Court, Berry Brow, about 4.30pm on March 28 this year after receiving information about a cannabis grow.
David Lampitt prosecuting said they knocked on the door and initially got no response but eventually the door was opened a little way by Luke Whiteley who kept the security chain on.
He appeared agitated and was reluctant to let them in but once they did get inside they could smell cannabis.
A search revealed 25 mature cannabis plants in a rear room where there were plastic sheets on the walls and lights fitted. The electricity had also been by-passed.
The plants were at an advanced stage of growth and it was estimated they would have produced a yield of around 1.13 kilogrammes of skunk cannabis. Whiteley accepted he was the sole tenant.
Rachel Smith representing him said he had been a cannabis user from the age of 16 and had very little in the way of property when he moved into the flat.
He was living on pasta at the time and had decided to grow the cannabis himself because it would be cheaper than buying it.
His research indicated about 70% of the plants would die but in fact they had thrived. “There may have been a point where he then thought about selling some but it had not got to that and that was not his intention when he started the grow,” she said.
Whiteley, 21, admitted producing cannabis and was given an eight -month prison sentence suspended for two years with 12 months supervision, up to 30 days activity requirement and 100 hours unpaid work.
Recorder Richard Gioserano said it was “with a degree of hesitation” he was suspending the sentence since Whiteley had indicated in his pre-sentence report he did not think cannabis was harmful and should be legalised.
“Well it is harmful and it is illegal.” He said the sentence requirements meant he had to avoid re-offending and his attitude to cannabis did not bode well for that.
He warned Whiteley it was up to him, he would have to distance himself from cannabis or find himself back in court.
