Chicken farmer produced cannabis

A woman chicken farmer in Devon grew cannabis intending to provide a nest egg for her young son, a court heard.

When police raided the barn of Penelope Swainson, 34, of Matridge's Cottages, Longdown, near Exeter, they found nearly 200 cannabis plants.

Swainson pleaded guilty at Exeter Crown Court to cultivating cannabis, supplying cannabis and possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

She was sentenced to 15 months in jail, suspended for 18 months.

'Exceptional circumstances'

Judge Keith Lindblom QC said: "You started off rearing chickens for eggs and then diversified into cannabis growing.

"The cannabis factory displayed a degree of sophistication but I accept that you started growing for your own use and then progressed to a more ambitious enterprise.

"However, there are wholly exceptional circumstances which allow me to suspend the prison sentence."

Swainson also pleaded guilty to possessing ecstasy and diazepam.

Growing equipment

Prosecutor Ian Leadbetter said what started out as a perfectly legitimate chicken farm near Oakford, diversified into a cannabis factory.

When police raided the "factory" they found a few chickens roaming around outside but inside the barn boasted hydroponics growing equipment, lighting, fertiliser and plastic sheeting.

Officers then searched Swainson's home and found more drugs including cannabis leaf, ecstasy and diazepam.

Mr Leadbetter said a financial investigation showed Swainson had benefited to the tune of £21,536.

Mary McCarthy, defending, said Swainson had been loaned some growing equipment and what started out as a plan to cultivate for herself had spiralled out of control.

There was no evidence of high living on her part and she was going to put any profit aside as a nest egg for her son.

Miss McCarthy said that if Swainson went straight to prison the effect on her 10-year-old son would be devastating.