Jason Brown was sentenced for producing cannabis at Swansea Crown Court
A MAN who was intimidated into allowing his house to be used to grow cannabis was beaten up after police raided the property, a court has heard.
Jason Brown gave-over a room in his Swansea home to the gang, after he ran-up debts through his addiction to heroin.
Swansea Crown Court heard the 48-year-old was frightened about what might happen to his family if he didn't allow the gang to use a room in his house.
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Carina Hughes, prosecuting, said that in June last year police executed a search warrant at Brown's house and found an internal door which had been screwed shut — there was an extractor hose fixed to the door and a "whirring noise" coming from beyond.
When officers forced entry to the room they found three-dozen mature cannabis plants — which were just weeks away from being ready for harvesting — along with lights and other growing paraphernalia.
The court heard that "those who had set up the operation" provided electricity tokens to Brown to cover the cost of the extra heating and lighting required for cultivation.
Ms Hughes said that if the plants had reached maturity, police estimated that the harvest could have been worth as much as £9,500.
The court was told that following the police raid and the seizure of the cannabis plants, Brown was beaten-up by persons unknown.
Brown, of Heol Gwyrosydd, Townhill, had previously pleaded guilty to producing the Class B drug when he appeared for sentencing.
The court heard details of his police interview in which he said he knew what he was doing was illegal, but that he did it because he had drug debts and feared for his family's safety.
Frank Phillips, for Brown, said his client's heroin use had led him to being "in hock" to drug dealers to the tune of more than £4,000.
The court heard Brown has four previous convictions for 10 offences.
Judge Huw Davies said if it had not been for the good work of police, a substantial cannabis harvest would have been achieved.
He told Brown: "For some years you have been in the grip of a heroin addiction, placing yourself in a position where you were vulnerable to people making threats.
"But at 48 you did have a choice — it was wrong of you to give in to the demands that were placed upon you."
The judge sentenced Brown to 16 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months, and made him the subject of a rehabilitation requirement.
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