A MORAY MAN set up a tent at his home in which he cultivated his own cannabis plants – because it was cheaper than buying the drug.
Ryan Bowman, 28, was growing the plants in his bedroom at Imlach Way in Lossiemouth when police raided the premises in October last year.
Elgin Sheriff Court heard Bowman admitting on Thursday that he had been growing nine plants with a potential value of around £3000.
In his defence the court was told that Bowman – whose address was given as being on Bremner Drive in Elgin – had insisted the drugs were for his personal use and at no time had he intended to sell them. Sheriff John Halley heard that when police found the plants they had grown to around 5-foot high and were close to budding.
Speaking on behalf of his client solicitor Stephen Carty explained that Bowman was using cannabis at the time and believed that it would be “much cheaper for him to produce his own” than purchasing it.
Mr Carty added that his client had now changed his attitude towards drugs after receiving a significant scare from his court appearance.
Saying that he was satisfied Bowman did not intend to sell the cannabis and taking note of his prior good record, Sheriff Halley cautioned that while in normal circumstances a custodial sentence would be the result of such an offence he was in this instance prepared to fine Bowman £400.