A JOHNSTONE man was arrested after he was caught growing cannabis to relieve the pain he suffers following a serious injury.
Brian McKechnie, 53, was found to have a cannabis cultivation at his Elm Drive home last April.
He had grown 24 plants by using lights, venting, soil and fertiliser, with a further area prepared for other plants to be grown when police
searched his home at 10.55am on April 12.
The details emerged last week when McKechnie appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court to admit producing a controlled drug.
His not guilty plea to a second charge alleging that he had bypassed the electricity meter in his home was accepted.
Procurator fiscal depute Keri Marshall said: “Police observed a single tented area. There were 24 plants with bud thereon. There was lights, venting, ducting, plant pots, soil and fertiliser.
“In the loft space, there was a further tent and venting equipment but there were no further plants.”
The plants could yield, at best, two ounces of cannabis worth £400 to £600.
The court heard that McKechnie told officers he grew cannabis because he used it for pain relief, with Police Scotland drug experts confirming his set-up “reflected that.”
Sheriff David Pender replied: “It’ll be interesting to find out if the taking of cannabis produces some healing purpose in relation to the injuries or if that’s just a smokescreen.”
He called for background reports, adjourned the case until next month and continued McKechnie’s bail.
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