51 cannabis plants hidden in loft

From the archive, first published Thursday 12th Apr 2007.

A CANNABIS grower has been ordered to do 100 hours' unpaid work after 51 plants were found in his loft.

Danny Hales, 27, was found to have a £300 hydroponics set and two growing rooms, which had been used to grow the class C drug.

When police raided his home in Third Avenue, Canvey, they found the paraphenalia and 253 buds that were drying, as well as plants.

Hales was not there, but his wife and children were. When he returned, police also found 8.1 grammes of resin in his car.

Glenda Thompson, prosecuting, said when Hales was interviewed by police he immediately admitted growing the drug, but only for personal use.

She added: "He said he'd been smoking since he was 13 years old and started to grow his own as it was cheaper than buying it, especially due to quantities he was using."

Mrs Thompson said it was not possible to work out the total value of the yield as it was still growing, but that an eighth of skunk retailed at about £20 on Canvey.

In mitigation, Simon Samuels said Hales was a hard-working family man, who worked shifts for a bus company in London.

He added: "Just coming into contact with the criminal justice system has led him to cease using cannabis and he has no intention to carry on using it."

Hales pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis and possession.

He was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £150 costs. An order was also made to destroy all the plants and equipment.