Beeston cannabis user had up to £400 a month habit so grew his own, Leeds Crown Court told

Police found the cannabis plants after being called to a disturbance at a property on Cross Flatts Avenue, Beeston, Leeds Crown Court was told.

Officers searched 40-year-old Richard Dinmore's house and found 36 immature cannabis plants growing in the basement just before 6pm on September 8 2019.

Fatima Zafar, prosecuting, said police also found two books about cannabis growing.

Miss Zafar said: "In interview the defendant said he had been growing weed in the basement, but his partner didn't have access to that area."

Miss Zafar said Dinmore, of Cross Flatts Avenue, Beeston, told police he was a long term cannabis addict and decided to grow the drug because he could no longer afford to buy it.

The court heard the 36 cannabis plants could have produced up to 2kg of skunk cannabis.

Dinmore, who admitted production of cannabis, has three previous convictions for five offences including possession of drugs with intent to supply and robbery.

A probation officer told the court: "He tells me at the time of the offence he didn't want to socialise with dealers and didn't want to smoke what they were selling."

Miss Zafar said Dinmore smoked between £300 and £400 worth of cannabis per month.

Recorder Darren Preston handed Dinmore a 12 month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months plus 200 hours unpaid work.

Recorder Preston told him: "You need to understand that a cannabis habit is illegal and expensive.

"You will end up back in custody if you carry on reverting back to your old ways, so you need to stop this and stop it now."