Joint leads police to cannabis farm
A cannabis farm was discovered after an off-duty police officer spotted a man smoking a joint seconds before he drove his car.
Craig Wood was seen smoking the class B drug then getting behind the wheel of his gold Audi one evening in Newcastle city centre.
A court heard that the 48-year-old, who has a number of drug offences on his record, was pulled over and a jar of cannabis bush and some cocaine were found inside his vehicle.
Because of the illegal stash, Wood’s Gateshead home was subsequently searched and seven cannabis plants were discovered, prosecutors said.
A blood sample also revealed he was over the drug limit for driving.
Now, Wood, of Overhill Terrace, in Bensham, has been fined a total of £380 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge after he pleaded guilty to driving whilst over the drug limit, producing of a class B drug, possession of a class B drug and possession of a class A drug.
Rebecca Slade, prosecuting at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, said it was around 9.40pm on June 1 this year that the off-duty officer spotted Wood smoking a joint on Pottery Lane, in Newcastle, then getting behind the wheel of his car.
He was pulled over nearby by a uniformed constable.
Miss Slade said: “When asked if he had been using drugs, the defendant replied ‘I will be honest, yes, I was’.
“The defendant was cautioned and arrested and placed in marked police vehicle.
“Due to information given to one officer by another that the defendant had mentioned he had cannabis in his vehicle, officers searched the vehicle.
“In the vehicle, there was a large jar filled with cannabis bush, measuring scales, a joint of cannabis and some white powder. It was due to this that a house search was also conducted.”
The court was told that seven plants were found, including six that had recently been harvested and one live one, which Wood claimed were for his own personal use.
A blood sample also revealed Wood was over the driving limit for Tetrahydrocannabinol, the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis.
Miss Slade said that Wood had a number of past convictions, including for possessing cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply from 2013, when he was jailed for four years, and producing a class B drug from 2016.
Sophie Allinson, defending, said Wood worked as a chef but used cannabis as an antidepressant after suffering a traumatic childhood.
“On the night in question, he accepts he smoked a small joint,” Miss Allinson continued. “An off-duty officer spotted this and notified his colleague further down the road and he says ‘Let’s see if he drives the car’.
“He drives the car no more than 30ft and he’s stopped immediately. He was not stopped because he was found to be driving to a poor standard, it’s just because he has been observed to be smoking the joint.”
As well as the fine, Wood was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge.
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When asked if he had been using drugs, the defendant replied ‘I will be honest, yes, I was’.
REBECCA SLADE