Jail for Dundee dad-to-be who grew cannabis

A Dundee dad-to-be who was "scared into" growing a 70-plant cannabis cultivation in his loft has been jailed for 27 months.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard Lee Millar, of Longtown Road, also had a CS spray stashed in his kitchen.

Fiscal depute Vikki Bell told the court police found 73 cannabis plants in his loft worth £11,680 when called to his property on a separate matter.

She said: "Police found cannabis plants and support equipment including lighting, venting and thermometers.

They discovered the electric supply was coming from a mains in the street and the main electric cable in the property had been stripped, the unmetered electric supply amounted to a loss of £1,231.64."

Police also recovered a CS canister which was forensically analysed and found to contain pepper spray, which is a firearm and a prohibited weapon.

In defence, Kris Gilmartin said Millar had been a target of city drug dealers.

He said: "An offer was made to him to make money quickly. The extent of the cultivation was not made known to Mr Millar and he was surprised to see the amount of equipment brought to his front door.

"He was scared of these people. They knew where he lived and he was concerned for himself and for his partner. He knows he was extremely foolhardy to do this and he must accept the consequences.

"His partner is seven months pregnant and if he's given a custodial sentence he will miss the birth of his child and he has only himself to blame."

Millar was to receive £500 for storing the equipment. By the time police discovered the farm the cannabis was three months' mature and close to being harvested.

Sheriff Tom Hughes sentenced Millar to a total of 27 months imprisonment backdated to February 17, the date he was remanded.

Millar admitted that between January 19 and April 19 2013 at his address in Longtown Road he was concerned with supplying cannabis. He further admitted between the same dates at the same location he stole electricity. He also admitted that on April 19 2013 at the same location he had a prohibited weapon, a CS spray.

http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk 15/03/2014