Police found cannabis farm by chance hears court

A MOTHER-OF-THREE faces a serious sentence after police chanced upon a cannabis farm in the garage of her rural home.

Officers were surprised to uncover 16 cannabis plants with a potential value of £14,400 when they went to Tarrylaw Farm Cottage in Balbeggie, to deliver a witness citation to Lorelle McCall.

Yesterday at Per th Sheriff Court, the 36-yearold admitted producing cannabis at her home on August 25 last year.

Fiscal depute Robbie Brown said that when the officers arrived “they could detect a strong smell of cannabis, which seemed to be coming from the garage”.

Mr Brown told the court that, despite the large amount and the elaborate farming equipment being used, there was no evidence to suggest McCall was dealing the drug to others.

Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said: “This was for personal use. The indication that she had something like £14,000 worth of plants came as a surprise to her.

“She doesn’t know how much it was worth because she doesn’t supply it to anyone else. She said she would use an ounce a week.

“She purchased the equipment from the internet and grow shops. She has part-time employment and gets working tax credit at £287 a week.”

Sheriff Derek O’Carroll told McCall that the amount of cannabis plants involved meant she would not be fined and would face a more serious sentence. Sentence was deferred.