A “Covid-phobic” greenkeeper began growing his own cannabis in his mum’s house during lockdown because he was scared he’d catch the virus meeting a dealer.
Police raided Miles Burnett’s mum’s house in the village of Lumsden after receiving intelligence about cannabis cultivation and found four plants in a growing tent with lighting and an air filter.
The 24-year-old, who was also caught with cannabis resin at his address in Alford, was quick to take responsibility for the plants and explain they were for personal use.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard the greenkeeper had become “Covid-phobic” during lockdown and was concerned about going out to source drugs to feed his habit.
Plants were ‘ready for harvesting’
Fiscal depute Kiril Bonavino said: “Police received information during November 2020 about the production of cannabis at both locuses.
“During the search, cannabis resin and cannabis were recovered from the living room.
“The accused himself admitted having four cannabis plants in a bedroom at his mother’s house.
“He said they were his and not his mother’s.”
Officers discovered a “large growing tent”, along with lighting and filtration equipment, with the plants appearing to be “ready for harvesting”.
The fiscal gave a value of £1,630.
Burnett, of Ardgathen Cottages, Alford, pled guilty to being in possession of cannabis resin and to being concerned in the production of cannabis, both on December 6 2020.
Defence agent Gregor Kelly said his client had only one previous, unrelated conviction, and explained that although he now has a partner he was on his own at the time.
Sheriff warns of ‘disastrous’ cannabis impact
He said Burnett had become withdrawn during lockdown and was receiving therapy for a “borderline personality disorder”.
The solicitor explained his client had been smoking around £30 of cannabis per day, adding: “He was Covid-phobic and did not want to go out and interact to buy the drug.
“Given his agricultural skills as a greenkeeper, he found on the internet the method of cultivating plants.
“The plants were for his own use.”
Sheriff Donald Ferguson told Burnett: “It’s a serious matter to be cultivating a drug, even for your own use. The court obviously has to take a serious view of that.
“One thing that does concern me is very heavy use of cannabis. This is disastrous for young men.
“I have seen it so often over the years. Cannabis and poor mental health equal one thing only – it gets worse, never better.”
The sheriff ordered him to pay a fine totalling £840.
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