Chesterfield man 'grew cannabis at home to pay off drugs debt to dealer'

Scott Mark Robert McConnell had a total of seven plants at his address when police turned up on February 16 last year to his Newbold address, Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court heard on Friday, February 7.McConnell, 42, of Malson Way, admitted producing cannabis when he appeared before the court.Prosecuting, Mark Fielding said that police had gone to his address to deal with another matter, and had been alerted by the strong smell of the drug when they entered the property.He said officers discovered the plants in a poly tunnel with water and lights in the room to help with cultivation.“It was quite a professional set-up,” he said. “He has a drug problem himself and owed his dealer £700, and the dealer made him put the plants in his spare room.”The drugs had already been destroyed, the court heard.Mitigating, Lucy Hooper said: “He tells me that he had smoked weed when he was younger but there was a gap, and he started smoking it again to tackle anxiety.“He was asked to house these plants. Someone even came into the house to water them each day. He says he was threatened with violence if he didn’t do it.”She added that he now took prescription medication to help with his anxiety.Magistrates fined McConnell £120 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £32 victim surcharge.