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A cancer sufferer turned his garage into a “mini cannabis factory” to grow the drug which he said helped ease the symptoms of his condition.

Andrew Thomas, 46, had never been convicted of a criminal offence before he found himself in front of a judge at Cardiff Crown Court.

Police searched his home at Abergarw Drive in Brynmenyn, Bridgend, with a drugs warrant and inside the garage found two tents, set up to grow drugs.

Prosecutor Gareth James said inside those tents were 14 “very immature” plants.

He said the prosecution would not have been able to give the drugs a value because of their size.

Officers also found lamps, timers and heaters all set up to help the plants grow.

When he was interviewed by police, Thomas said it was his first attempt at growing the class B drug.

“He started doing it to ease his medical discomfort. He suffered from cancer, smoked it to alleviate his symptoms,” said Mr James.

Thomas, a taxi driver, now regrets getting “drawn” into the drugs world, his barrister said.

Thomas Roberts, representing Thomas, said: “He has suffered from cancer and its that which has drawn him into the drugs world that he now finds himself in trouble for.

“He is, and has been, for the last 20 years, a hardworking man.”

He said as well as working as a taxi driver, he also leases vehicles to other drivers.

He said his client’s £450 a week “relatively modest” income was what had led him to be unable to afford the amount of cannabis that he needed and that in turn led him to start growing the drug, which he now accepts was “incredibly foolish”.

“He acknowledges he took that extremely foolish decision. He describes himself as someone who is of an extremely anti-drug stance in general,” he said.

Thomas admitted a single charge of producing cannabis.

Recorder Peter Griffiths QC said: “This is your first appearance in court and you recognise you have acted with utter stupidity.

“I accept that this was your first stab at this enterprise but you will have to pay for your foolishness.”

He described the set up as being made up of new equipment and that it was a “mini cannabis factory”.

Recorder Griffiths gave Thomas a 12-month community order. He was also told to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £200 towards costs.