Bristol man grew cannabis worth £25k in mum's home to pay off spiralling debts to dealers  

A BRISTOL man driven to grow cannabis in his mother's home to repay spiralling debts to dealers has been jailed.

Craig Downer, 29, from Coles Hill Drive, Hartcliffe, was given four months in prison for growing 29 plants with a street value of £25,000.

A court heard that Downer, who entered the hearing on crutches, used cannabis medicinally to relieve pain in his hip.

But after falling into debt, he was "exploited" by dealers in what the judge called a "sad model example".

He pleaded guilty to production of the Class B drug and was sentenced to four months in prison at Bristol Crown Court.

The court heard police first raided his property which he shared with his mother on March 5 when they found two rooms of plants - one whole room containing 20 plants and one bedroom partitioned down the middle with nine plants.

A sophisticated system of hydroponics had been installed in the house and the plants were flowering successfully.

Prosecutor Julian Howells said that in the initial interview Downer lied to police, saying no one else was involved in the operation.

Pushpanjali Gohil, defending, said Downer was the victim of "exploitation" by his dealers. Arguing against a prison sentence, she said: "This is a man in a desperate situation. He has already been exploited on the outside and there is a risk these men will come back to exploit him again."

It was not revealed in court who the men were, how Downer had ended up in debt to them or how by how much.

Judge Mark Horton said: "This is a sad and model example of what happens when people engage with drugs and drug suppliers and get into debt with them.

"They pushed you to allow two rooms to be converted in your own mother's house."

But the judge also said Downer was motivated in some way by the possibility of profit from the 2450g potential yield of the plants.

He said: "You did it for those who you knew to be dangerous men. You did it knowing your mother would be in a difficult position and you did it because you knew you would make some financial profit."

He added: "You are someone with serious physical disabilities. I have no doubt you use cannabis to ease the pain from your hip.

"But those who are persuaded, as you were, for easy money must accept a prison sentence."

The court heard Downer had no previous convictions but was cautioned in February 2008 for possession of cannabis.

The judge handed Downer four months in custody and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £100.

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Bristol-man-grew-cannabis-worth-pound-25k-mother/story-22857245-detail/story.html 01/09/2014