Dudley cannabis grower spared jail (From Dudley News)

Dudley cannabis grower spared jail

5:18pm Tuesday 15th December 2009

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A DUDLEY man who maintained he was growing cannabis at his home because he had been threatened by a man he owed money to, has been spared a prison sentence.

Police officers went to the Blowers Green Road home of Choudhary Rashid on an unrelated matter and while they were at the door they smelled the controlled drug, said Edward Soulsby prosecuting.

He told Wolverhampton Crown Court that the officers then found around 12 cannabis plants being grown in a back room together with heating and watering equipment.

When questioned, 33-year-old Rashid said he owed £380 for a drug debt and had been told his home would be smashed up unless he agreed to look after the plants.

Rashid admitted cultivating cannabis and was given an eight month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.

Judge John Wait further made him the subject of an 18 month supervision order and told him he must attend the Drug Rehabilitation programme.

"You are an intelligent man, " said the Judge. "You have thrown your life away so far but it is not too late to change. I am going to give you the opportunity by suspending your sentence but you must get yourself off drugs."

David Swinnerton defending said it was not a "terribly sophisticated" cannabis growing system being operated by Rashid whose own drug habit was costing him about £50 a day.

He described Rashid as a "heavy" drug user and said he accepted he had wasted much of his life because of his addiction.

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