Cannabis farmer caught out after fire, Plymouth court told
A CANNABIS farmer was caught after a fire at his home, a court heard.
A CANNABIS farmer was caught after a fire at his home, a court heard.
Lee Hook, aged 39, lost some of the tents used to cultivate his crop in the blaze, Plymouth Magistrates' Court was told.
Hook, of Moorland Road in Plympton, admitted production of the Class B drug on February 14.
Gareth Warden, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said he was found with ten plants, one or two of which were almost mature.
Roger Page, for Hook, said he had not taken the drug since the incident.
He added: "He was growing it for his own personal use but he has stopped now. He cannot afford it.
"There were a few tents but virtually everything was destroyed - that was the reason the equipment was discovered."
Mr Page said the fire had not been caused by his cannabis cultivation.
The court heard Hook had been using the drug for about 20 years.
District judge Deborah Wright said it was a serious offence, with an "element of sophistication".
She added: "You were the farmer, the organiser and the orchestrator and this could so easily have been a custodial sentence."
Mrs Wright gave him a 12-month community order with 60 hours of unpaid work.
He must also stick to an electronically-monitored curfew at home every night from 9pm to 7am for six months.
Hook, a self-employed plasterer, must also pay £85 costs and £60 victim surcharge.
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk 08/06/2013
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