A MAN was warned he faces jail after growing an estimated £20,000 worth of cannabis in his Moldgreen home.
Paul McDermott admitted producing the class B drug in his converted garage.
Kirklees magistrates told him that he could go to prison, despite his solicitor claiming that the plants’ potential street value had been hugely overvalued.
Ben Thomas, prosecuting, said that police attended at McDermott’s Bellcote Drive home on October 8.
They were greeted by the 33-year-old at just before 6pm and conducted a search of the premises.
Officers discovered eight cannabis plants in the garage, which had been converted into a music studio.
They found two further growing sections at the back of the garage.
These contained two large cannabis plants, five medium plants and hydroponics equipment.
Mr Thomas said that the 15 plants were examined by Det Sgt Damian Roebuck.
The detective, who heads a special Kirklees drugs team, gave his estimated valuation.
Mr Thomas said: “In the three growing areas, there was one with eight immature flowering plants.
“These had the potential to produce 352 street deals at a value of £10,560.
“In area two there were five cannabis plants, with 220 street deals and a value of £6,600. In area three, the two flowering small cannabis plants would have produced 87 street deals and £2,631.”
McDermott claimed in interview that he had watched a video on the internet about how to grow the plants.
Magistrates were told that he had 12 offences on his record. These included a conviction for possession with intent to supply from 1996 and a caution for producing a class B drug in 2011.
Bob Carr, mitigating, described McDermott’s drugs growing as “insignificant” and “unprofessional”. He described the total valuation of the drugs as “absolute nonsense”.
Mr Carr said that McDermott did not supply the drug and grew it only for his personal use.
He said that his client had originally started taking the class heroin for his spinal deformity.
The solicitor added that McDermott had since replaced this habit with cannabis and believed it could help ease his pain.
He said that he had decided to grow his own to avoid meeting his former dealers on the street.
Mr Carr said: “He said if I go on the street buying it from the same people I know that they will somewhere down the line persuade me to get back into heroin.”
Magistrates asked the probation service for a full report and adjourned sentencing until January 3. They warned McDermott that they had not ruled out custody or sending him to crown court for sentence.
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