Robert Sandiman, 21, of Wyke Lane, Bardsey, Leeds, initially claimed he was growing the drug for personal use, despite police giving the drugs an estimated street value of £23,000.

The police later lowered their estimation to between £6,000 and £7,000 and Sandiman pleaded guilty to a charge of possession with intent to supply, saying that he had grown too much and would have sold some on to his friends.

Leeds Crown Court heard how Sandiman, who has a previous conviction for production of cannabis, had set up an "elaborate system" to grow the drugs in a rented three-bedroom house on Manor Farm Drive, Leeds, before his arrest in February last year.

The electricity supply had been bypassed to power the equipment to grow the cannabis, described as "premium product".

Sandiman was sentenced to 10 months in jail for each of the offences, to be served concurrently. Judge Kerry Macgill said: "This was skunk. It's a very powerful drug and you admitted yourself to feeling psychotic at times.

"This production of drugs will not be tolerated by the courts, no matter what some other people think about cannabis."