A cancer victim caught with more than £11,000 worth of cannabis plants told police he was smoking the drug as an alternative to opioid painkillers.
Sean Youngson’s home on Hutcheon Court in Aberdeen was raided by officers who found he was producing the drug and had 14 cannabis plants growing in his bedroom.
Youngson, who has previous convictions for drug possession, was growing the plants over a three-month period.
His solicitor told Aberdeen Sheriff Court that his client was diagnosed with a tumour behind his eye and that he was using the drug as an alternative to opioid painkillers.
Fiscal depute Rebecca Thompson told the court that on April 1 last year police executed a search warrant at Youngson’s home address.
“Upon entering the locus it was established that it was being used to grow cannabis,” she said.
“Within one of the bedrooms, there were multiple cannabis plants found at different stages of growth.”
Police officers found 14 plants in total alongside three bags containing a green herbal substance.
They also found three grow tents, growing pots, timers, plant feed and other items related to cultivation.
The total value of the plants was estimated to be £11,340, while the value of the three bags of herbal substances was around £600.
Youngson, an offshore oil and gas worker, pleaded guilty to one charge of producing a controlled drug and a further charge of being in possession of cannabis.
‘He made a choice and he is going to have to pay for that choice’
Defence agent John Hardie told the court that his client had “become reliant upon cannabis” due to health concerns that he had.
He said Youngson had gone for a cataract exam and a tumour had been found.
“Mr Youngson found that smoking cannabis made him less reliant on his opioid medication so he took the decision to grow his own cannabis,” Mr Hardie said.
“There is not anything to suggest he was selling the drug, but what he did is against the law.
“He made a choice and he is going to have to pay for that choice.”
Sheriff Lesley Johnston sentenced Youngson, of Summerhill Road, Aberdeen, to a community payback order with supervision for one year and ordered him to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
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