Leeds Crown Court: 65-year-old woman grew thousands of pounds worth of cannabis for her and her brother

Lorraine Woodhall, of Foundry Lane in Seacroft, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday (June 1) for one count of producing cannabis.

For the prosecution, Bashir Ahmed told the court that police attended Woodhall’s property for an unrelated matter on February 22 this year and found 15 cannabis plants in the loft space.

Woodhall was arrested and told police that the cannabis – which had an estimated street value of £8,250 – was for her own use.

Mr Ahmed said: “It’s clearly part of a commercial enterprise and certainly not just for personal use.”

Woodhall pleaded guilty to the charge at the magistrates court and the case was sent to crown court.

Woodhall maintained that the drugs were for personal use and that she received “no financial gain”.

A probation officer said that Woodhall smoked cannabis heavily with her brother, who was dying from alcoholism at the time and has since passed away.

Representing Woodhall, Imran Khan said that Woodhall had stopped smoking cannabis since her arrest and shown “remorse and regret”. He added that she had “never been in trouble” before and that she is the main carer for her two grandchildren.

His Honour Judge Clark said: “At your age you shouldn’t be here at all.”

He sentenced Woodhall to four months in prison suspended for a year as well as 100 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation activity days.