A cannabis farmer who claimed he was growing it to help his epilepsy has been jailed.
Barry Gray said he had 71 plants in his home because he was going to turn it into oil for medicinal purposes - but there was no evidence of such a procedure taking place. A court heard police went to his home in Bensham, Gateshead, in May 2020 to execute a search warrant and found the drugs factory.
He had barricaded his door with wood but once they got in, officers found cannabis plants at various stages of growth in bedrooms. Newcastle Crown Court that when interviewed he told officers: "It's just a few plants".
