A CANNABIS grower who ran a “mini farm” was caught after neighbours reported the “strong smell” of the drugs to police.

When officers raided Richard Miles’ home in Newport’s Mulcaster Avenue they found 13 plants, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

Meirion Davies, prosecuting, said they also discovered two black bins of dry cannabis and £945 in cash.

Miles, aged 40, who had no previous convictions, was arrested at the scene and told interviewing detectives: “It is no one’s fault but my own.”

Mr Davies added that Miles used a tent to grow his crop after buying equipment that cost “a few hundreds of pounds”.

He said the defendant’s operation wasn’t of the usual “factory scale” that often come before the courts.

Judge Peter Griffiths QC heard how Miles “made full admissions to police and an examination of his mobile phone showed nothing suspicious”.

The defendant admitted two counts of producing cannabis with the offences being committed on June 19, 2018.

Mr Davies asked for the drugs and associated “paraphernalia” to be destroyed and the money recovered to be handed over to the police.

He said that a Proceeds of Crime Act application would not be made.

Scott Bowen, mitigating, asked the court to impose a suspended jail sentence with unpaid work.

The judge said: “His pre-sentence report mentions he had a problem with depression but seems to have pulled himself together.”

Mr Bowen told him that his client had started a new job and was now in a relationship.

He confirmed that Miles had committed the offences when suffering from mental health problems.

Judge Griffiths agreed that he would be passing a suspended custodial term and told Mr Bowen: “I hope the court will not see him again.”

Turning to Miles, he said: “You acted in an extremely foolish way, setting up a mini cannabis farm.”

He jailed him for eight months, suspended for 12 months, ordered him to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work and told him he had to pay a victim surcharge of £140.