Cheadle dad sold drugs after huge crop
CANNABIS grower Edward Bowler who starting selling the drug to friends after a particularly fruitful crop has avoided an immediate jail sentence.
The 29-year-old started cultivating the class B drug in his house in Cheadle so he could smoke it himself.
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But the operation was more successful than he imagined and he sold some on to friends and associates, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard yesterday.
Prosecutor David Bennett said members of the public reported a strong smell of cannabis coming from the property in Lid Lane in the early hours of February 18.
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Police attended at 2.20am and Bowler came out and asked what was going on.
"Police pointed out they needed to search him and his house. Police jumped over the fence and detained the defendant," said Mr Bennett.
"Police entered with the defendant.
"The house was empty of furniture, save for one sofa and £380 cash was concealed in the kitchen.
"The rear first floor bedroom was adapted for growing and drying cannabis."
Officers recovered 1.18 kilograms of harvested skunk cannabis and 168 grams of fragmented cannabis.
In total the harvested cannabis was worth between £4,200 and £5,800 and the fragmented was valued at £840.
Bowler told police he owned the house and he lived with his partner in Tean.
He said the cannabis was for his own use, this was the first time he had grown any and he produced more than he anticipated.
He added that the cash was given to him by a man he knew from the pub.
The defendant, of Tenford Lane, Tean, pleaded guilty to producing cannabis.
Robert Smith, mitigating, said Bowler began using cannabis when he was aged 14 and described himself as a cannabis addict at the age of 16.
"In November last year, cannabis prices were so high, he decided very foolishly to grow his own supply," said Mr Smith.
"It was a one-off operation. It was his first and last attempt to grow cannabis.
"He was more successful than he imagined. It was only at that stage he formed the intention to sell for commercial gain.
"He accepts some of it would have been sold."
Mr Smith asked Judge Robert Trevor-Jones to consider suspending any prison sentence as Bowler, whose partner gave birth four weeks ago, is deemed a low risk of re-offending.
He added the defendant has no relevant previous convictions and has not used cannabis for 10 weeks.
The judge sentenced Bowler to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, with 12 months supervision and an additional 160 hours unpaid work.
"I hope this has been a bit of a wake up call for you," said Judge Trevor-Jones.
"You have escaped going to prison today by a whisker and you ought to reflect on that.
"The likelihood is that if you come back before the court again, in particular for anything involving drugs, you will then go straight to prison."
Comments
by camband
Friday, September 28 2012, 9:15PM
“"Here chum -crop for that!' I've had a wind fall.”
by fissionchips
Thursday, September 27 2012, 7:04PM
“Sorry I missed 'thread'
If the poet can keep posting the same drivel on every website with a cannabis 'thread' then I can keep posting the same reply:
You've got me under your skin
You've got me deep in the brain of you
So deep in your brain I'm really a part of you
You've got me under your skin
You tried so not to give in
I said to myself this humiliation will go so well
But why should you try to resist when, stoner, you know darn well
You've got me under your skin
Here's for the stoner's dreams
CANNABIS IS ILLEGAL
CANNABIS WILL ALWAYS BE ILLEGAL
STONERS ARE CRIMINALS
STONERS WILL ALWAYS BE CRIMINALS
CANNABIS IS THE FIRST STEP TO HARD DRUGS
CANNABIS HAS THEREFORE KILLED MILLIONS
STONERS ARE DANGEROUS SCUM
Cannabis will never, ever be legalised by any uk government!
Hehehehe ;-) truth hurts eh so get over it and old Doolally in particular should stop reading comics, what a saddo.”
by fissionchips
Thursday, September 27 2012, 7:02PM
“If the poet can keep posting the same drivel on every website with a cannabis then I can keep posting the same reply:
You've got me under your skin
You've got me deep in the brain of you
So deep in your brain I'm really a part of you
You've got me under your skin
You tried so not to give in
I said to myself this humiliation will go so well
But why should you try to resist when, stoner, you know darn well
You've got me under your skin
Here's for the stoner's dreams
CANNABIS IS ILLEGAL
CANNABIS WILL ALWAYS BE ILLEGAL
STONERS ARE CRIMINALS
STONERS WILL ALWAYS BE CRIMINALS
CANNABIS IS THE FIRST STEP TO HARD DRUGS
CANNABIS HAS THEREFORE KILLED MILLIONS
STONERS ARE DANGEROUS SCUM
Cannabis will never, ever be legalised by any uk government!
Hehehehe ;-) truth hurts eh so get over it and old Doolally in particular should stop reading comics, what a saddo.”
by DJofTNE
Thursday, September 27 2012, 5:05PM
“FISSION - I reckon if keep copying and pasting the same words you will one day believe them yourself, psychology for you.”
by SourAlienOG
Thursday, September 27 2012, 5:03PM
“Johntoe
Sorry keep forgetting, the funny thing is cannabis will be legally regulated at some point in the UK. I bet you any money fissiontroll and trolls like him will simply fade away. I hope he gets denied cannabis based medicine in the future.”
by SourAlienOG
Thursday, September 27 2012, 4:59PM
“truestokie confusing the act of smoking a joint and then deciding to drive after, and keeps using the word 'skunk'. Skunk isnt slang for strong cannabis, its slang for sensimilla which means 'without seeds'. When people take strong painkillers or anti depressants, they usually dont decide to drive a car straight after. Cannabis is a medicine which can effect motor skills, but cannabis isnt just one thing, there are hundreds of strains with different cannabinoid profiles. Did you watch the video I gave you the link for which shows its MUCH safer to drive stoned, than drunk, even though most cannabis users dont drive while high.
http://tinyurl.com/c3qozbr”
by Johntoe
Thursday, September 27 2012, 4:41PM
“@ SourAlienOG
we ARE,..... ignoring it,”
by Johntoe
Thursday, September 27 2012, 4:38PM
“@ truestokie
"Moron" YOU call ME a "Moron"!!!
I QUOTE you,
"I also stated "Druggie "driver" high on skunk. Are you and the others saying that skunk has no mind altering effects on the user?"
Perhaps you have learning difficulties or are semi illiterate and can't read very well, If that IS the case then I offer my sincerest apologies, and will pursue the matter no further, However, until I know otherwise, I will asume you are capable of reading and understanding the points I made before,
I repeat, WHO is campaigning for it to be made legal to DRIVE while under the influence of any recreational drug?
and what's all this 'bull droppings' about "mind altering effects"? where did that come from? I know, it's meant to change the subject, because I just kicked your backside,
but I will answer your deflection question, OF course cannabis has "mind altering effects" (give me strength) Just like alcohol does, just like ANY substance taken for recreational purposes does, if they didn't then what would be the point in 'taking' them? Or do you think people 'take' alcohol because it tastes nice?
and there's THIS,
"I do not need alcohol, tobacco, or mind bending drugs to live my life."
Well, as it happens nor do I,
I have been T total for 30 years, I last smoked cannabis almost a year ago, and stopped smoking all together 9 months ago,
But then, I don't have to be gay to know h0m0phobia is wrong, I don't have to be a woman to know sexisim is wrong, or religious to know religious intolerence is wrong,
and I don't have to be "a druggie" to know the prohibition of cannabis for use by adults is WRONG,
I know pig ignorance is wrong as well, But those who are rarely do,”
by Redtone
Thursday, September 27 2012, 4:32PM
“I don't give a rat's pee how you live your life kosherstokie.
The problem is - you take an unhealthy and moralistic interest in how other adults live theirs! Get it???”
by truestokie
Thursday, September 27 2012, 3:56PM
“Johntoe, I asked a question moron.
I also stated "Druggie "driver" high on skunk."
Are you and the others saying that skunk has no mind altering effects on the user?
I do not need alcohol, tobacco, or mind bending drugs to live my life.
When this drug is legalised, what will you and the others be wanting legalised, Heroin, Cocaine, etc,etc ?
Because I did not answer straight away he comes on with the usual garbage.
Johntoe unlike you I have a life and do not sit on a computer all day.
Also I am not (unlike you and your mates) in the infantile habit of clicking arrows.”