Eaglescliffe man of previous good character grew cannabis in his home

Court hears that Andrew Franks, 33, grew the plants and was involved in a small circle of friends who were 'habitual users' of the drug

A cannabis grower caught with plants of the illegal drug in his home has been shown mercy by a Teesside judge.

Police raided Andrew Franks' home in Cedar Crescent, Eaglescliffe, and found five cannabis plants.

They also uncovered another £600 worth of the Class B drug there on June 9 last year.

Prosecutor Jenny Haigh said there was a tent, plants drying on three lines in a bedroom and more cannabis in the freezer.

The judge, Recorder James Adkin, said: “They found paraphernalia consistent with an individual who was an accomplished grower of cannabis.

“It seems that the plants were being heated and fed.

“It looks as if there’d been previous crops. Plants had been hung out to dry.”

Text messages suggested “some commercial element to the production and supply”, Ms Haigh told Teesside Crown Court yesterday.

Franks, 33, accepted modest supply as he shared significant purchases with friends.

Police thought the plants could produce £4,500 worth of cannabis, extending to a potential £13,500 yield if there were three harvests a year.

But they were a long way from maturity and an accurate value could not be determined.

Defence barrister Duncan McReddie said: “The valuations that we receive in expert drug officers’ statements are always the maximum valuation that can be achieved from the plants found if they all reach maturity and all crop successfully.”

The judge said the estimates were “somewhat speculative”.

Franks admitted producing a Class B drug and possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

Mr McReddie added: “Mr Franks is a man of previous good character. This conviction deprives him of that.

“Mr Franks has had a salutary experience. It’s been a great deal of worry for him since June last year.

“He freely concedes that he’s part of a small circle of friends who habitually use cannabis.

“They’ve done it since their late teens. This is not an uncommon scenario, there being a view outside in society that is at odds with the law about possession of cannabis.

“It is still illegal.

“Mr Franks accepts that there is small-scale dealing.”

The judge said people generally went to prison for cannabis supply but Franks entered an early guilty plea and had no previous convictions.

Franks was given an eight-month prison sentence suspended for a year with 180 hours’ unpaid work.

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