'I need five joints just to get moving' (From South Wales Guardian)

'I need five joints just to get moving'

8:00am Friday 11th January 2013 in News

A 24-YEAR-OLD Brynaman man created a “sophisticated electronic hydroponic system” to grow cannabis in an empty property opposite his rented home, a court has been told.

Scott John Hart, formerly of 47 Cwmgarw Road, admitted growing 100 plants in the vacant house “over the road”.

Gerald Neave, prosecuting, told Llanelli magistrates how police carried out a raid on 49 Cwmgarw Road at 9am on September 18.

Officers discovered three rooms converted into growing areas with plants “at various stages of maturity”, said Mr Neave.

Some 30 minutes after the initial raid, Hart, who now lives in Bridgend, approached one of the officers and said: “It’s pointless me wasting your time, the plants are mine.”

A search of Hart’s home also uncovered 36.82 grammes of cannabis resin.

In interview, Hart told police he “had access to the property for a couple of months”.

He also claimed he had been growing cannabis there for around six weeks.

He told officers he used the drug to alleviate severe pain following a serious road accident in Spain – where he had previously been resident – some years earlier.

“On a cold day I need five joints just to start moving,” Hart told police.

Adam Antoszkiw, defending, told magistrates Hart’s injuries had left him with metal plates in his arm, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle, leading to six months spent in a wheelchair.

“This was an extremely serious accident,” said Mr Antoszkiw.

He told the court the former chef had become increasing concerned regarding the long-term effects of the cocktail of heavy painkillers he was being prescribed and when he raised his fears with his Spanish GP, the doctor suggested smoking cannabis as an alternative.

However, when Hart and his family returned to Wales in 2012 he did not know where to buy the drug and began researching producing it at home on the internet.

Hart admitted growing the drug.

Magistrates sentenced Hart to a 12- month community order with a requirement to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs.