The Scottish Daily Record reports
John Hoey’s Grangemouth home was raided by cops after reports of a “strong smell” of cannabis.
A “distinguished” old soldier who grew and smoked his own cannabis to help him cope with his memories of serving in Northern Ireland during the Troubles has been spared jail.
John Hoey, 64, was found with a “plantation” of herbal cannabis, estimated by police to be worth nearly £12,500, at his home in Grangemouth, Stirlingshire.
Hoey told cops: “I only grew it for my own use as I’ve got pain and PTSD from the Army.”
Hoey, of Almond Street, Grangemouth pleaded guilty to producing a controlled drug.
The cultivation was discovered on December 17th, 2019.
His solicitor, Simon Hutchison, told the court: “The explanation why there was so much is that he grows one lot, once, so as, hopefully, not to annoy the neighbours.
“Instead of rearing four plants every month or couple of months he grew all these plants at once to try and stop the neighbours from finding out. It didn’t work, of course. They did find out, and somebody reported him.”
Source: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/former-solider-who-grew-smoked-23615483
