Police discovered a senior manager with a transport company had been growing cannabis when they called at his Southampton home in connection with another matter.

Officers spotted cannabis apparatus and in a thorough search of his house, found 27 plants .
Their value was estimated to be £13,000, said prosecutor Nicholas Cotter.

Glenn Merritt was arrested and taken to the police station where in interview admitted he had grown the cannabis to pay off mortgage arrears.

Merritt, who admitted being concerned in its production, said he had never done drugs.

But the judge, Mr Justice Royce, interjected: “You have invested £1,500 to set this operation up.”

Merritt, 49, of Lytham Road, Southampton, received a six-month suspended sentence with a 50-hour community service order