Walsall man 'grew £19,000 worth of cannabis for personal use'

Scott Philpott pleaded guilty to producing the Class B drug and to using electricity without authority at his former home in Queen Street, Walsall Wood.

Walsall Magistrates' Court heard that a 'strong smell of cannabis' could be smelt from the property, and Western Power found the electricity meter had been bypassed.

Miss Helen Shipley, prosecuting, said police found various hydroponic equipment on June 6 last year, along with 22 plans hanging up to dry and the street value of the drugs was estimated to be between £6,000 and £19,000. She said: "In the interview he told police it was the first time he had grown it and that it was all for personal use.

"He said he smokes a couple every night before he goes to sleep and he started growing it about two-and-a-half months before because of the cost of buying the drug.

"He said he had a severe gambling debt and an expensive lifestyle, and there was no intention of selling it to anybody else.

"He didn't think 22 plants would last very long because he didn't think he'd be very successful in growing it."

Mr Gareth Beynon, defending Philpott, said he has managed to control his gambling problem.

He said: "In reality it's a very small grow, he was simply more successful that he thought he would be.

"This was an experiment that went terribly wrong and he accepts he would have benefitted from it if the police hadn't stopped him."

The 27-year-old, now of Rivington Crescent, Kingstanding, was bailed and told to appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on February 14.