A SCAFFOLDING firm boss has been spared jail after police found cannabis growing in his shed.

Andrew Minett, of Girtrell Close in Upton, appeared at Mold Magistrates Court on Thursday.

The 36-year-old had previously admitted that in February of 2019, he possessed a quantity of cocaine and produced cannabis in Flintshire.

Rhian Jackson, prosecuting, told the court police executed a warrant at the then home address of the defendant, in Moorfield Road, Aston, which he had been renting.

Following a search, a shed to the rear of the premises was found to contain ten cannabis plants.

Ms Jackson said the potential cannabis yield may have had a street value of over £8,000.

A small amount of cocaine was also seized from the address.

When he was asked about the cocaine, he initially told police he thought it was rat poison.

Chris Macmaster, defending, said his client runs a scaffolding firm in Birkenhead.

He said the defendant had a limited previous criminal record and had not offended since the discoveries by police in Aston.

District Judge Gwyn Jones said: "The amount [of cannabis] that could have been cultivated would have yielded a significant amount of money.

"But you had the good sense to enter a timely guilty plea." For the cultivation of cannabis, he was handed a 14 week term of imprisonment, but it was suspended for 12 months.

For the possession of cocaine, he was fined £600.

The District Judge also ordered him to pay £300 costs and a surcharge of £128 - as well as ordering the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs, paraphernalia and the rest of the kit seized by police.

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