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A cannabis grower was shot in the chest when five masked men burst into his home and demanded he hand over his crop.

Michael James, 42, was left fighting for his life after the shooting in Wyresdale Road, Warbreck Moor.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how the 9mm bullet is still lodged inside him after entering his shoulder, passing down his body and coming to rest by his liver.

Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, said the gang raided his house in the early hours of Saturday, February 28 this year.

He said: “He forced these men out of his home. He heard one of them shout ‘where’s the f****** weed?’

“The defendant was shot with a handgun just above the chest area and had to be taken to hospital.”

Police attended the hospital and James admitted he had been growing cannabis in his loft.

Officers then seized the cannabis farm, which included around 14 mature plants and a number of small plants, adding up to 43 in total.

When released from hospital James was interviewed again and said he had been growing the farm since November 2014, with several unsuccessful attempts.

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James, with a shaved head and wearing a suit and tie in court, said the Class B drug was for his own personal use.

He admitted production of cannabis. He has no previous convictions.

Ian Harris, defending, said his client “candidly” admitted growing cannabis, having smoked the drug for some time and shared it with friends.

He said: “He attributes the gang that came into his house as seeing stalks and discarded cuttings in his backyard and clearly seeing there were drugs they could steal from him.

“He is adamant he was not going into the business of selling cannabis commercially.”

Mr Harris said James had stopped smoking the drug after undergoing “urgent life-saving treatment” to treat damage caused by the bullet.

Mr Harris said: “The advice he had was an operation could cause danger and it was far better to treat conservatively and leave it where it is.”

He added that police had no intelligence to suggest there was anything else of concern in his client’s background.

The judge, Recorder Michael Blakey, said: “It seems to be an extreme form of violence for just having a small amount of drugs.”

Mr Harris added: “He is a man who is unlikely ever to re-offend. He has learned his lesson.”

Recorder Blakey said the James had shown remorse and “demonstrated a commitment to rid yourself of the nuisance of cannabis”.

He said: “If people get themselves involved in drugs it can lead to all sorts of difficulties.”

Recorder Blakey handed him an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

He also told him to carry out a 35-day rehabilitation requirement and 80 hours of unpaid work.