MAN'S CANNABIS HELPED HIM RELAX AFTER HARD WORK

A TREE surgeon who grew eight cannabis plants to harvest for his own use
has been fined a total of £300 by Norwich magistrates.

James Salvador Lee, of hall Road, Bedingham, near Bungay, admitted
cultivating the plants in his back garden and a further charge of
possessing 442.3 grams of herbal cannabis on November 3.

Magistrates yesterday fined him £150 for each offence and ordered him to
pay £40 costs, as well as the forfeiture and destruction of the cannabis
and plants.

Lori Tucker, prosecuting, said police searched Lee's home during the
morning and found various amounts of cannabis worth atotal of £468.

There were also eight plants, two worth a total of £240 and six worth a
total of £720, a total yield of £1428.

"As far as the cannabis plants are concerned that is a maximum potential
yield in this country. It is rare for it to yield that amount," Mrs Tucker
said.

James Landles, defending, said it was not a sophisticated operation but
very amateurish.

"He is a tree surgeon. It is physically very demanding work and after work
he uses cannabis as a relaxant," he said.

The court heard that the cannabis which was recovered by police had been
harvested from the plants Lee grew.

Mr Landles said the court proceedings had acted as a deterrent to Lee, who
would not grow cannabis again.