Cannabis grower was '˜acting under orders'

Stuart Phillips, 38, of Rupert Kettle Drive, Bishops Itchington, at the time, pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to permitting premises to be used for the cultivation of cannabis.

Phillips, who also admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply it, was given a 12-month community sentence and ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work.

Prosecutor Justin Jarmola said that in March the police arrived at Phillips’ home with a search warrant.

He led them into the garage where there were cannabis plants growing in tubs.

There were more plants in the lounge, and the police also found some bags containing cannabis.

Phillips was arrested, and when he was interviewed he explained another man had asked him to have the plants in his house.

“Rather than the term custodian, he was acting as a warehouseman, and there’s support on his phone that he was acting under the orders of another.

“But he accepted he had also been supplying a friend or associate of his with some, but not for payment,” said Mr Jarmola.

He added the plants and cannabis seized by the police would have had a potential street value of £12,000.

Ben Nicholls, defending, said: “He was completely candid with the police from the go, and his account he was a warehouseman stood up to scrutiny. It was no more than an attempt at production. His relationship fell apart as a result of this, and he had to leave the house.”

Mr Nicholls said Phillips, now of Beverley Road, Leamington, had got a job and has stopped smoking cannabis.

And he argued a recommendation in a pre-sentence report of a suspended sentence was not appropriate ‘because it doesn’t cross the custody threshold.’

Recorder Nigel Daly agreed, and told Phillips: “These can be regarded as serious offences, but I am satisfied in your case that you were imposed upon.”