Unpaid work for man who grew cannabis

A Hamilton man who had grown cannabis valued at between £15,000 and £46,000 in his Whitehill home last week escaped a jail term.

Thomas Mccrorie had previously admitted a charge of producing the class-b drug at his Bute Street home between December 13, 2015, and July 6, 2016.

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard that police officers had attended at the house at 7.45am on July 6 last year with a search warrant.

When they entered the property they detected a strong smell of cannabis. Mccrorie was found inside the house and detained.

A systematic search of the house was carried out and a cannabis cultivation was found in two separate growing areas within the loft along with items like lights, fans, heaters and plant food. A total of 76 plants were recovered and the cultivation dismantled.

Police Scotland’s statement of opinion unit estimated each plant to be between £200 and £600 and the value of the plants was therefore between £15,200 and £45,600.

Mccrorie was taken to Hamilton Police office for interview, but made no reply to caution and charge.

The accused’s not guilty plea to a charge of being concerned in the supply of the drug at his Bute Street home had previously been accepted by the Crown.

At Hamilton Sheriff Court last Wednesday, Mccrorie’s solicitor told Sheriff David Bicket that her client had a good employment history, but at the time of the offence had not been working.

Mccrorie had been using the drug and became interested in its production, she explained. However, since his arrest on the matter his drug use had ceased and there had been “a significant improvement” in the accused’s physical and mental health as a result.

The lawyer said Mccrorie had been in a relationship for seven years.

She said his criminal history was limited, but there was one similar conviction on his record.

Sheriff Bicket imposed a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody. It required that Mccrorie undergoes 18 months’ supervision and carries out 300 hours’ unpaid work within 12 months.

Sheriff Bicket also set a confiscation hearing for May 31 and Mccrorie was ordered to appear on that date.