A dad was found in possession of £17,000 worth of cannabis plants, which was kept in his partner's garden shed. James Eedy later claimed to police he smoked half an ounce of cannabis a day, and the drugs were for his own personal use.

The 33-year-old, was arrested by police who attended the home he was living in with his partner and two children in Cardiff on July 17, reports WalesOnline. They searched a garden shed and found a small cannabis factory with 12 adult plants and 15 nursery plants.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard there was equipment such as five lights, five transformers, and scales with traces of cannabis. An officer noticed piles of soil and clay balls which were used in the growing of cannabis. Also found was a bag containing £2,000 in cash and 17.2g of cannabis, and the electricity had been bypassed.

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During an interview with police, Eedy claimed the cannabis was for his own personal use, and claimed he smoked half an ounce a day. A drug expert said he would consider someone who used three grams a day as a "heavy user", so the defendant's claim was unlikely. The defendant also claimed Swalec had bypassed the metre and had yet to fix it.

The plants were found to have a potential yield of 27 to 81 ounces of cannabis, worth between £3,240 and £17,940. The bag of cannabis was worth £170 and believed to be part of a large amount and used as a cutting agent.

Eedy, of Greenbay Road, Tremorfa, later pleaded guilty to cannabis production. The court heard he had previous convictions, but none were drug related.

In mitigation, defence barrister Ross McQuillan-Johnson said his client has a great level of involvement in the care of one of his sons, who has a disability. He said his partner was unaware of the cannabis factory, and the defendant used the drug in order to medicate pain in his lower back.

Sentencing, Judge Carl Harrison said there was a "significant financial advantage" in this case. He sentenced Eedy to 10 months imprisonment suspended for two years, and ordered him to pay £420 in costs.

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