A former restaurant owner who grew cannabis in his sister's basement after he 'fell on hard times' walked free from court today.
Ronald Garner, who used to run Southport restaurant Ronnie's, claims he started to use the drug himself to alleviate pain after he was randomly attacked.
The 53-year-old also claimed he grew a £53,000 crop in his sister Julie Garner's home to help drag himself out of debt - but police raided her Seaforth home, said Chris Taylor, prosecuting.