Man caught with ‘Percy Thrower-type’ cannabis plants

A SHIREHAMPTON man has avoided prison after being caught with a “beautiful Percy Throwertype” collection of cannabis plants in his garden.

Lloyd Stewart ( pictured right), 60, of Barrow Hill Crescent, had 17 of the Class B plants in his yard and lean-to, which police discovered on August 13 last year.

District Judge Lynne Matthews compared the grow to the work of late British gardener Percy Thrower, as she sentenced Stewart at Bristol Magistrates’ Court.

She observed the homegrown plants were around four metres high, after he pleaded guilty to producing the drug.

Ian Kelcey, mitigating, told the court: “He didn’t use the flowering head as someone normally would. He used the leaves and mixed it with aloe vera.”

The defendant, who is on Universal Credit, was convicted of intent to supply cannabis in 1993 and cannabis cultivation in 2007.

Mr Kelcey said he was growing to self-medicate because he has severe arthritis in his neck and shoulder

He said Stewart was “in all other respects” a lawabiding man.

But Judge Matthews replied: “I can’t ignore the sentencing guidelines ... He’s got 17 plants here. We’ve got beautiful Percy Thrower-type plants here, haven’t we?”

Judge Matthews said she accepted Stewart was using it yourself and giving it to a limited number of relatives.

She gave Stewart a 28-week jail term suspended for a year, and an eight-week curfew.

She said: “It is not your arthritis which saves you from immediate custody. I daresay there are many arthritic prisoners. It is the mitigation which I have read.”

The drugs will be destroyed and Stewart must pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £128 victim surcharge at a rate of £10 per fortnight.

As he left court, Judge Matthews advised Stewart: “Take your daughter’s advice – stop this.”