Sheffield man confessed to police about cannabis plants at his home

A drug-offender has been spared from jail after he confessed to police that he had cannabis plants at his home.
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David Brownhill, aged 35, of Deer Park Road, Stannington, Sheffield, called police to say cannabis was being grown by others at his flat, according to a Sheffield Crown Court hearing on January 19.

Jessica Randell, prosecuting, said: “On July, 2019, and again on July, 2019, the defendant called police to inform police that cannabis was being grown at his property.”

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She added police attended and found ten small cannabis plants which were over a foot-high each in pots and also found a hydroponic system which helps the plants to grow.

Pictured is an example of the class B controlled drug cannabis.Pictured is an example of the class B controlled drug cannabis.
Pictured is an example of the class B controlled drug cannabis.

Brownhill, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to producing the class B controlled drug.

The defendant claimed he had not been directly involved in the growing of the cannabis because he said others had been responsible for setting-up the grow.

He told police he had not been forced into the situation and he had no intention to sell the cannabis but he had helped set-up the tent and paid for some of the necessary chemicals.

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The defendant claimed there had been an arrangement where he would be paid between £2,500 and £3,000 as a reward or get free cannabis or combination of the two scenarios.

Ms Randell said CCTV footage showed no one other than Brownhill entering the flat and the CPS did not accept any basis that the defendant had been pressured.

However, she stated that which ever version of events was accepted or rejected it would not make a substantial difference to the sentencing.

Judge Rachael Harrison told Brownhill: “You are putting yourself in danger of going to prison if you continue committing criminal offences and that is what is going to happen because you will leave the court with no other choice.”

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She added there were unusual circumstances because Brownhill had called the police regardless of what the CCTV showed.

Judge Harrison sentenced Brownhill to a 12 month community order with a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and a six-month Drug Rehabilitation Requirement.

She also imposed a one-month condition that he remains at his current residence and she ordered Brownhill to pay £240 costs and a victim surcharge.

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