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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Cannabis user said prosecution was "breach of human rights" (Neil Morgan)
South Wales Evening Post Sunday 18 May 2014 But a judge said, while he was sympathetic towards the animals, he would not be emotionally blackmailed and sentenced 58-year- old Neil Morgan to a year behind bars. Swansea Crown Court heard Morgan had changed his lifestyle and switched from the growing of cannabis to producing mead and breeding dogs. He was convicted by a jury after standing trial at the court after denying cultivating drugs. He had previously told the court he believed the prosecution was a breach of his human rights. Morgan, from Hillrise Park in Clydach, has a long list of previous convictions for growing or possessing the drug. His barrister Carina Hughes told Judge Paul Thomas that since his arrest for this latest offence, Morgan said he had broken his 40-year addiction to cannabis and instead turned his interests to making mead and breeding Jack Russell dogs. Miss Hughes said Morgan had known he faced prison and had, in the time since his conviction, tried to re-home the 17 dogs, but not all had been. Miss Hughes said: "He has had a significant change in attitude. In my submission, if he is given a custodial sentence then there's a potential here for him to take steps backwards. "If he comes out of prison destitute, with no home, no dogs and having lost his mead interest he's likely to turn back to use cannabis." But Judge Thomas then said that any attempt by Morgan to use the dogs to "emotionally blackmail" the court would not work because Morgan had known for more than a year he was likely to go to prison. The judge told him although Miss Hughes had said everything she could on his behalf, because she did not represent him at trial she had not seen his "unrepentant" attitude throughout. "Had you decided not to contest this matter, it may be that there would be some scope, although unlikely, for a different outcome. "The time has come that you must learn that cultivating cannabis is an offence, whatever your personal views. "I had, and still have, huge sympathy for your dogs but you have had over a year to do something about that," he added. http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Cannabis-user-said-prosecution-breach-human/story-21106957-detail/story.html#Tpk0jaelIEiW1tjx.99
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