ARTHRITIS SUFFERER'S UKP4K CANNABIS HAUL

CANNABIS with a street value of more than UKP4,000 was seized from
the home of an arthritis sufferer who smoked it to ease his agony.

Barry Anthony Young, 27, of Cousin Lane, Ovenden, Halifax, admitted
producing a kilo of cannabis at an earlier hearing.

Calderdale Magistrates Court heard how police raided Young's home in
October.

Mark Steeples, prosecuting, said: "They were immediately met by the
pungent smell of cannabis."

Officers seized 10 plants from two upstairs bedrooms and
cannabis-growing paraphernalia, including hydroponic equipment, from
the attic.

He told police they were taking his medicine away because he suffered
from chronic arthritis, said Mr Steeples.

Young, who has no previous convictions but was cautioned for a similar
offence in 2006, smoked around 1oz a week.

Sonia Kidd, for Young, said his illness was "incredibly painful" and
one of the side effects of the prescribed medication he had been given
aggravated a skin condition.

But she added: "Given the stress of court proceedings, irrespective of
the pain he suffers, he will not use cannabis again."

Young was given 150 hours' unpaid work and ordered to pay UKP60 costs.
The cannabis plants will be destroyed.