A CANNABIS user bought a book on how to grow the drug himself — but was caught after complaints about the smell from his city home.

Police visited 39-year-old Carl James Watson’s address, at around 9pm on November 10 last year, after learning of a distinctive odour.

“He was open and co-operative with the police. He was asked whether he had a cannabis grow in the property and stated “aye, mate, I do,” prosecutor Kim Whittlestone told Carlisle Crown Court of Watson. “Officers found a successful set-up.”

On the ground floor was an incubator containing 40 plants. Upstairs was a growing room, drying area, fans, grow bags and other paraphernalia.

The 40 plants could have yielded 55g of cannabis each, providing a potential total street value of £22,000. A further kilo of dried cannabis also recovered could possibly have fetched up to £10,000.

“This amount and set-up, whilst not for commercial gain, the prosecution do not accept it is for personal use,” added Miss Whittlestone. “This is too much of a professional set-up, and the quality and quantities of the drugs involved are not consistent with personal use.

Watson, of Blackwell Road, Carlisle, admitted cannabis production but had no relevant previous convictions.

Jeff Smith, defending, said: “It appears from the smell of cannabis pervading in the locality where Mr Watson lived, it is possible for me to argue, at least on one level, it wasn’t a very sophisticated operation he was running.

“It was sophisticated to an extent. He had learned what to do by buying a book before growing cannabis. He grew it, he tells me, over a period of three months.”

Watson had been a heavy cannabis user, acquired scales to check what he bought but couldn’t afford it during the lockdown period.

Mr Smith said Watson was a plumber who was now required to be on call. “He has found it easy to cut down quite dramatically his cannabis use,” he said. “He still does use that illegal drug. He is trying his best to make sure his future is a cannabis-free future.”

After hearing all submissions, Recorder Kate Bex QC suspended a nine-month prison sentence for six months. He must complete rehabilitation activity requirement days, and pay £660 costs.