MAN WHO TOOK POT FOR PAIN SPARED JAIL

A LEEDS man accidentally shot in the leg by his own cousin has
escaped jail after growing his own cannabis for pain relief. Samuel
Sherriff, 27, of East End Park, was arrested after police found almost
1kg of the drug - enough to last a heavy cannabis user three months -
at his home on Temple View Terrace last March.

Leeds Crown Court heard how Sherriff started smoking cannabis after
several months in hospital following the shooting in July 2005, in
which he suffered severe leg injuries.

According to Mehran Nassiri, prosecuting, Sherriff started growing the
plants for personal use in January last year.

A police raid on his home uncovered a bag of cannabis on his coffee
table while 912g was discovered in the cellar after he confessed to
growing the drug. They also seized items including a diary, a cannabis
grinder, weighing scales and clear plastic bags.

Sherriff was handed a 24-month supervision order and a three-month
curfew, preventing him from leaving his house between 9pm and 7am.