CANNABIS GROWER JAILED

A STEPFATHER and the girlfriend of a man imprisoned for growing cannabis
have insisted he should be in a hospital not in jail.

Lance Ridler, 33, of Elizabeth Way in Halstead, was given a two-month
prison sentence at Colchester Magistrates' Court, yesterday - one month of
which was suspended - after he admitted producing cannabis at an earlier
hearing.

After he was sentenced, Ridler's step-father Tom Wood, 57, from Halstead,
said: "He is not fit to go to prison. He should be in a hospital. He can
barely walk. The GP has said he should see a specialist.

"He was not producing the plants for any financial gain. A custodial
sentence seems to me totally out of order."

Ridler's partner, Rebecca Cass, 27, said: "He needs to be in a hospital not
a prison. He has not been able to work since November. Six weeks ago our
flat burnt down. We lost everything. And now this."

The court heard yesterday how firefighters discovered 37 cannabis plants
growing in a cupboard at Ridler's flat on July 7 when dealing with a blaze
which had spread from an adjoining building. Equipment to supply them with
light and water was also present.

The plants were about 12 ins high and capable of producing drugs worth
about UKP 18,800 on the street, the prosecution alleged.

But defending Peter Richards yesterday insisted that Ridler had been
growing them for his own use, to help ease a neurological condition he was
suffering from and that they were far less valuable.

The accused had been unable to work for months because of the debilitating
symptoms, which included pain, numbness and weakness in his limbs.

But he had a UKP 5,000 painting and decorating contract that was being held
for when his health improved.

Mr Richards, said: "He is a thoroughly decent young man who was working
hard until his illness prevented him from doing so.

"He is a man of previous good character who was worried about his medical
condition."

He described Ridler's cultivation as an "unsophisticated operation" which
was "not commercially motivated" and very much a "hit and miss experiment".

Magistrates examined medical reports before retiring to deliberate.

When they returned, chairman of the bench Adrian Amos, said: "We have
listened very carefully to all that has been said. In our minds, here was a
large amount of cannabis being cultivated - 37 plants."