A man who said he was scared of drug dealers after getting shot grew a £66,000 cannabis farm to avoid having to buy it on the streets.
Mark Murphy, of Stonehill Street in Anfield, appeared before Liverpool Crown Court after pleading guilty to producing cannabis and possessing the drug with intent to supply
A judge told Murphy that “ordinarily” such an offence would mean an immediate jail sentence.
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But after hearing that the 28-year old wants help to cure his cannabis addiction the judge suspended a 16-month prison sentence for 18 months.
Judge Andrew Menary QC, the Recorder of Liverpool, also ordered him to attend a six month drug rehabilitation course and 20 days rehabilitation activities.
He additionally imposed a electronically monitored curfew on him for three months between 8-6am.
Robert Wyn Jones, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that on August 5, 2020 police officers executed a search warrant at his home and noticed a strong smell of cannabis.
They also saw an extractor pipe from the staircase and upstairs found two rooms had been converted into cannabis growing rooms.
There were 15 large plants and 36 saplings in incubators and drugs paraphernalia.
The crop had a potential street value of up to £66,000 and a large quantity of cannabis with a street value of £3,500 was also found in his home.
Mr Jones added: “He said he was the tenant of the property and admitted setting up the cannabis grow. He said he had been shot two or three years ago and was reluctant to buy on the streets and it was all for his own use.”
The court heard he has a previous conviction for possessing cannabis in 2018.
Kate Morley, defending, said after he had been attacked he began using cannabis for pain relief.
She said: “His use increased and became a serious addiction and he made a serious error of judgement to grow cannabis for his own use and supply to others.
“He has been brutally honest with probation saying he has a serious addiction and wants to stop but needs help to do so.”
Miss Morley said that he was willing to engage in a drug rehabilitation course, adding: “He has taken the first steps by admitting there is a problem and he is susceptible to change.”
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