Police Found Small Cannabis Plants When They Raided Soham Home

CURIOSITY got the better of Gary Wilson when a friend offered him some cannabis plants – and police found three small spindly specimens when his Soham home was raided. He had no intention of smoking the cannabis, solicitor Catherine Bradd told Ely mag

CURIOSITY got the better of Gary Wilson when a friend offered him some cannabis plants - and police found three "small spindly" specimens when his Soham home was raided.

"He had no intention of smoking the cannabis," solicitor Catherine Bradd told Ely magistrates.

"He is very easy going - another friend asked him to look after a Rottweiler dog, he said 'yes' and that had to be passed on to his mother."

Wilson, 26, of Hall Street, Soham, admitted possessing the class B drug cannabis on December 14 last year.

The three cannabis plants were found in Wilson's utility room, prosecutor Laura Mardell told the court. She displayed a photograph of the offending plants.

"Police described them as small spindly plants with the roots intact," she added. "They were not at a stage when they could be harvested."

Miss Bradd said Wilson had helped police with their questions.

"A friend of his gave him the plants, and he took them out of curiosity, to see if they would grow," she explained. "He had no intention of smoking the cannabis. He had considered getting rid of them, but had not been able to do so, due to his shift work."

Wilson works for an agency at a food packaging company, and they have debt problems, said Miss Bradd.

Giving Wilson a 12-month conditional discharge, and ordering him to pay �50 costs, presiding magistrate Maggie Holling told him: "You must really think twice when a friend suggests something that is not a good way forward.

"You have to keep out of trouble for the next 12 months, or you will find yourself in even more serious trouble."

The court ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the plants.