Former soldier from Sharpness who produced cannabis is spared jail term
A FORMER soldier who became a cannabis user and then a grower and supplier of the drug
A FORMER soldier who became a cannabis user and then a grower and supplier of the drug
At Gloucester Crown Court Stuart Clements, 31, of New Street, Newtown, Sharpness, was given a one year prison sentence suspended for two years. He was also ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.
Judge William Hart told Clements that ex-soldiers who suffered post traumatic stress could not use it as an 'automatic get out of jail free card'.
But, he said, it would always be a factor the court would take into account.
In Clements' case, he said, he was impressed that he had pulled his life out of the 'downward spiral' he was in at the time of the offences and was now turning things around.
At an earlier hearing Clements pleaded guilty to producing cannabis on the basis that although 82 plants were found growing in his loft he was not responsible for them.
He named two other men to the police and to the court as the growers.
But after hearing evidence from him Judge Hart said that although he was satisfied there were two other men involved, he believed Clements was just as responsible.
In fact, he said, Clements was more to blame as it was his property where the operation was being carried out.
Julian Kesner, prosecuting, had told the court that police searched Clements' home on July 14 last year and found the plants growing in the loft. An expert reckoned 70 of them would have been viable and would have produced 672 grammes of cannabis worth £6,720.
Today, Sabhia Pathan, defending, said that following his military service Clements did have 'significant issues' but he had now dealt with many of them.
She said: "He came back with post traumatic stress disorder. He didn't have it properly diagnosed. He dealt with his difficulties with alcohol but that did not go far enough so went further and started to use cannabis.
"He has abstained from illicit drug use since his arrest. There are significant changes n his life."
http://www.gazetteseries.co.uk 21/06/2012
S
Soft Secrets
