A 63-year-old Perth man has been jailed for 20 months after being caught with cannabis worth up to £87,000 at his rural cottage.
William Crook admitted cultivating cannabis at Pitlandie Farm Cottages in Stanley, Perthshire, on April 13.
Crook, Ballantine Place, who had no previous criminal record, was discovered to have 116 cannabis plants, 60 of which had reached full maturity.
Depute fiscal Gavin Letford said the plants could be valued at up to £87,000.
Mr Letford said: “He said that it was a solo project and that he was a philanthropic person. He stated it was for health reasons as only they help neurological pain.”
Solicitor David Bell said his client had previously been involved in a head-on collision with a drink-driver.
He said: “It left him with significant injuries that he never recovered from.”
Crook began experimenting in growing cannabis and enlisted the help of two other people to help him cultivate the plants.
Attention was drawn to Crook’s cannabis plants when there was a fall-out with one of his helpers who then informed the police.
On passing sentence, Sheriff William Wood stated that he was taking into account the sophistication of the set-up and the value of the cannabis.
He said: “It seems to be accepted it wasn’t for commercial resale.”