IPSWICH man Stephen Eccott grew cannabis at his home to ease his depression, a court heard.Eccott admitted cultivating the plants and a further charge of possessing five ecstasy tablets after a police searched his Raeburn home, South East Suffolk Magistrates were told.
IPSWICH man Stephen Eccott grew cannabis at his home to ease his depression, a court heard.
Eccott admitted cultivating the plants and a further charge of possessing five ecstasy tablets after a police searched his Raeburn home, South East Suffolk Magistrates were told.
The 34-year-old, who has no previous relevant convictions, had been growing 14 cannabis plants in his shed.
Howard Catherall, prosecuting, told magistrates Eccott cultivated the cannabis for his own personal use after he was suffering from depression for a number of years.
Financial difficulties meant Eccott took the decision to grow his own. "The plants were in their infancy," said Mr Catherall. "He was conducting an experiment as to whether or not they would be successful [in growing the plants]".
Mr Catherall told magistrates, sitting in Ipswich, he had not made a professional attempt to cultivate the plants but they were just growing in a shed.
The court Eccott had not used ecstasy before. He was given them as "chill out tablets" which he thought would ease his depression, said Mr Catherall.
Bench chairman John Horton ordered Eccott to pay a £125 fine, £25 for cultivating cannabis and £100 for possessing the ecstasy tablets.
He was also ordered to pay £25 costs.
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