[420 Girl]

A wheelchair-bound Sandfields man grew 17 cannabis plants at his home to use as pain relief for his chronic back pain.

Desmond Humphrey, 43, admitted cultivating the plants when he appeared before Port Talbot Magistrates on Tuesday, December 23.

The court heard that at 9.42am on December 16, police executed a search warrant at his home in Sandpiper Court, Seaward Avenue.

On their arrival Humphrey indicated where the drugs were, directing them to a wardrobe. There, police found three stashes of the plants.

In total, 17 plants were being grown under special hydroponic lights. He immediately told police he was growing the drugs for his own use.

Chris White, defending, said his client deserved maximum credit for his guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.

Mr White explained that until three years ago Humphrey had been in gainful employment and had previously been in the Army.

But he damaged his spine in an accident while on a trip to Australia and was forced to give up his job.

Doctors had prescribed Humphrey with a “cannabis spray” called Sativex.

Sativex is sprayed into the mouth and contains active cannabis tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), and is given to some patients for pain relief.

Mr White said: “The medication was helping him but he gained more relief from smoking cannabis.

“He did not share the drug with anyone else and used it to treat his disability.

“He can make the odd couple of steps but nothing more than that, and is bound to a wheelchair.”

The case was adjourned until January 8 for a fast delivery report to help magistrates in their sentencing.

But Humphrey was warned he could face anything between a community order and 12 months imprisonment.

He was released on unconditional bail.

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