AN Oldham man has been jailed after he grew a cannabis farm in his disabled mother's loft.

Appearing at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court for sentencing, Lee Pauley pleaded guilty to charges of production of a Class B drug, abstracting electricity and possession of cocaine.

Andrew Macintosh, prosecuting, said police officers were called to a domestic incident on May 9, 2019 where Pauley was arrested and found to be in the possession of a small quantity of cannabis.

Officers then visited his mother's address on Laburnum Avenue in Chadderton and found that the attic had been converted into a "cannabis factory".

The electricity supply had been bypassed and a lights and ventilation system had been installed.

Twenty small cannabis plants were recovered together with 20 mature plants which were being dried out. he total street value of the plants was estimated at £10,700.

A bag containing cocaine was also recovered from the property worth an estimated £519.

Pauley, 39, was arrested and told officers he lived with his disabled mother but she was unaware of that he was growing cannabis.

He said he grew the drugs for his own personal use and not for commercial gain and said the cocaine was also for personal use.

Mr Mackntosh said Pauley had been before the courts on 16 previous occasions and convicted of 27 offences.

In January 2017 he was handed a suspended sentence for production of cannabis and abstraction of electricity after officers had found a previous cannabis farm at his mother's address.

Paul Bryning, defending, said Pauley, of Laburnum Road, Oldham, had a "significant cannabis habit" and the primary purpose of the farm was to grow the drug for himself.

"Any financial gain he received from selling was fed back into growing to feed his habit," said Mr Bryning.

"He only receives £240 each month in benefits so it is hardly surprising given his financial situation that the only way he can feed this habit is to produce his own."

Mr Bryning said Pauley had a motorcycle accident in September 2019 in which he had received a fractured back and which resulted in constant pain.

He added that Pauley was a "ticking time bomb" unless he received help with his addiction.

Judge Angela Neild said Pauley has been "perfectly open" about his desire to resume consuming and growing cannabis.

She said: "It does not seem a huge basis on which to proceed does it?"

Sentencing Pauley to 10 months imprisonment, Judge Neild, added: "The production of cannabis almost inevitably results in a surplus of drugs which is a significant temptation to provide them to others.

"Those that cultivate cannabis in their homes attract others who are possibly more significantly criminally sophisticated who will seek to acquire that grow which leads to violence or other offending.