A MAN from Ellesmere Port was spared jail after a cannabis grow comprising of 18 plants was found at his home.

Alan Wilkie, 38, of Kings Road, Little Sutton, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for one year, at Mold Crown Court today (May 16).

He pleaded guilty to both cultivating cannabis plants and to abstracting electricity.

Prosecuting, Patrick Gartland told the court that, on February 17, 2022, Wilkie’s property was searched by police, who found a cannabis grow within his attic.

It was estimated that the plants could have yielded up to £10,080 in street deals.

Electricity was also found to have been bypassed at his property, to such an extent that the company responsible had to repair the damage caused.

Wilkie, who lived at the property, also destroyed a mobile phone, preventing police from investigating its contents.

He was, though, described as being “co-operative”, showing officers exactly where the cannabis grow was taking place.

Defending, Jamie Baxter said that, although Wilkie had three previous convictions, none were regarding similar matters to this.

He had created a “relatively modest setup”, Mr Baxter said, save for the abstraction of electricity, and was operating as a “one-man band”.

Wilkie was “genuinely remorseful” for his actions and was said to have been “emotional” and “visibly upset” when discussing certain aspects of his life, including this incident.

Mr Baxter said that, despite suffering from mental health issues for many years, he has maintained stable accommodation and full-time employment for a number of years.

“He has struggled, and people in his position sometimes look for answers in the wrong places,” Mr Baxter said.

“He is at low risk of further offending.

“Immediate custody would result in a significant harmful impact on others, namely his children. He is, otherwise, a productive member of society.”

With this in mind, Mr Baxter invited the court to consider suspending Wilkie’s custodial sentence.

Sentencing, Judge Nicola Saffman also ordered Wilkie to carry out 25 days of rehabilitation activity requirements.

The drugs seized from him were ordered to be forfeited and destroyed, and Wilkie will pay a £128 statutory surcharge.

Judge Saffman told him: “Given your genuine remorse, and the fact that your children would be genuinely harmed if you were imprisoned, I am satisfied you are capable of rehabilitation.

“It seems you have reached an absolute low in your life; now, there is only way which you can go.

“Get your life on an even keel and take the support of the probation service, so that we will never see you before the court again.”