[420 Girl]

A FATHER who grew cannabis with an estimated value of around GBP18,600 has been given a six-month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, by Alnwick magistrates. Ian Skivington, pictured, of Acklington Road, Amble, was caught growing the crop at Hadston Industrial Estate and at his home.

Skivington, 41, also pleaded guilty to two counts of using an unknown quantity of electricity without due authority. He was fined a total of A#585 and ordered to do 50 hours of unpaid work.

Described as a professionally-organised cannabis farm by prosecutor James Long, Skivington's Hadston location contained 132 cannabis plants along with drug-making paraphernalia including extractor fans and watering systems. When police visited his home, they found a cannabis farm attached to the premises where the drug had just been cropped.

But magistrates heard Skivington was growing the crops for his own use to aid cruciate ligament damage in both his knees. Described as a "responsible individual" by John Lawson, defending, Skivington was said to be injecting cannabis oil to help ease the pain which had plagued him for more than 20 years.

Mr Lawson said: "Calling this a cannabis farm suggests this was a commercial enterprise. But this was never a commercial enterprise and he was never on the radar of police and the figures are irrelevant for what this gentleman was doing.

"He is in constant pain and what he did was for himself and none of the plants were being sold. He injected the oil as a way of dealing with the problems that have been with him for a long time."

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