A CANNABIS farmer tried to claim he was growing tomatoes when police discovered plants in his bedroom.

At Bolton Crown Court Jordan Sheridan was jailed for 16 months after pleading guilty to producing cannabis on the day his trial was due to start.

Craig MacGregor, prosecuting, told how police had called at Sheridan’s Crompton Street, Farnworth, home at 9pm on April 29 last year on an unrelated matter.

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While there they spotted the door to the main bedroom sealed off with insulation film.

Inside were 26 pots of small cannabis plants, together with lighting, an extractor fan, ventilation equipment and chemicals. “The defendant claimed that he was growing tomatoes,” said Mr MacGregor.

He added that the room contained an “expert and not inexpensive set-up.”

Judge Graeme Smith was told that that the plants would have produced a significant amount of cannabis.

Sheridan, aged 25, has a lengthy criminal record, although not for producing or dealing drugs.

Nicholas Ross, defending, said that Sheridan had developed drug debts after being addicted to crack cocaine and heroin for two years and had agreed to grow cannabis at his home as payment.

He added that the plants and equipment were installed by others.

“He was not a cannabis user himself,” said Mr Ross, who added that Sheridan was in care as a child as his parents had drug and alcohol

problems.

“When he began taking drugs himself, following the pattern of his parents, things became even more problematic,” said Mr Ross.

“It his assertion that he is now drug free.”

The court heard that Sheridan has not offended since his arrest but has failed to turn up for appointments with the probation service on several occasions.

“He seems to make a habit of making very poor decisions,” commented Judge Smith.

Sentencing Sheridan, he told him: “There is no evidence that there is any real prospect of rehabilitation over and above wishful thinking.”