A CANNABIS user who used equipment left over from his grandfather’s growing operation stocked 210 plants in an underground shipping container.

Under his grandmother’s shed, 28-year-old Jamie Saunders used a watering can to tend to flourishing cannabis plants.

Taking to the witness box at Ipswich Crown Court, he told a judge he had purchased seeds off the internet with the intention of growing the class B for his own use.

The court heard he made use of equipment left behind by his grandfather, who was previously prosecuted for growing cannabis, to start his operation.

Police executed a warrant at his grandmother’s Colchester address on March 24 last year.

They immediately smelled cannabis and searched her shed.

Under a tarpaulin they found a chip board, under which they found an underground shipping container, lit up with ultraviolet lights and serviced by a sophisticated ventilation system.

Officers found 210 plants which were not yet fully grown, with an estimated eventual yield worth between £37,000 and £139,000.

Police waited for Saunders to arrive at his grandmother’s home, where he admitted the drugs were his.

Officers searched his own home, where they found a small bag of cannabis.

Saunders, of Berefield Way, Colchester, admitted production and possession of cannabis, on the basis that once he became aware he had more plants than he needed, he planned to sell the excess to close friends.

Barry Gilbert, mitigating, said his client was a carpenter by trade who had been out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic and had recently referred himself to “local psychiatric services”.

Sceptical of Saunders’ basis of plea, Recorder Jeremy Benson had counsel quiz him on his mindset when growing the plants.

Saunders said he thought the seeds may only yield 30-40 plants, which he “had heard was an ideal number for personal use”.

The court heard he used old equipment left over by his grandfather and spent £100 on getting it working.

Mr Benson said while he remained “extremely suspicious” of Saunders’ intentions, he remained unsure and therefore was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Saunders was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and must complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

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