GROWING cannabis at his home with a street value of between £6,000 and more than £18,000 landed a Ventnor man in court.

Jason Kennett, 39, of Edinburgh Road, Ventnor, admitted one offence of producing cannabis when he appeared for sentence at the Isle of Wight Crown Court today (Tuesday).

The court heard police raided Kennett's home early last year and found 22 cannabis plants growing in a bedroom.

Kennett's children were present and would have been there while he was growing them, the court heard.

The cannabis plants were in various stages of growth, said Edward Warren, prosecuting.

The court was told most of it had been for his own use with limited supply produced for friends.

"Text messages suggest there has been an element of commercial gain," added Mr Warren.

For Kennett, Helen Easterbrook said the amount of cannabis discovered at her client's address was an amount which someone would have for personal use, albeit at a high level.

She added Kennett had suffered a series of traumatic events in his life.

She said: "He made a stupid decision to sell the excess. He was producing for friends. It was not a large commercial operation."

Kennett was jailed for eight months, suspended for 18 months and ordered to pay a £140 surcharge.