A DRUG user who had a £13,500 cannabis farm was planning to make cakes with the drug, a court was told.
Burnley Crown Court heard how the defendant, who stole electricity worth £800 to grow his 54 cannabis plants, was looking to make cash as he could not work and wanted to recoup the costs of setting up the enterprise.
Glover (27), of Glenfield Road, Nelson, admitted producing cannabis and abstracting electricity. He will face a proceeds of crime hearing later.
Miss Natalia Cornwall (prosecuting) said, last June, police went to the defendant’s home with a search warrant. They went in the loft and found the farm, as well as fans, fertiliser, fire extinguishers, snap bags and a heater. The electricity meter in the property had been by-passed.
Two of the plants, which appeared to have been grown from cuttings, were sent for analysis and the potential yield was estimated to be 1,350 grams of cannabis, worth £13,500 on the streets.
Miss Cornwall said when the defendant was questioned, he claimed the drugs were for personal use and said he had suffered a back injury in a car crash in 2010. He went on to say he did not smoke cannabis and was going to make cakes and to sell it on to others.
Mr Nick Dearing, for Glover, said the vast majority of the cannabis would have been for the defendant himself, but he was going to sell to friends at the very least to cover the outlay for the equipment.
The solicitor added: “He was unable to work due to back pain. This was a short-term operation to tide himself over.”
Mr Dearing added the defendant, who had repaid npower £800, was now able to work and had an offer of employment. He added: “The defendant does accept a low level of commercial supply.”
Passing sentence, Judge Beverly Lunt told Glover she accepted he had begun the operation for cannabis to use as pain relief, but the potential yield of more than a kilo was “massive.” She said the defendant went beyond what he needed for his own use and was prepared to sell.
The judge continued: “It’s that thinking the court has to deter by imposing an immediate custodial sentence.”