|
Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
|
|
UK: 'Medicine Man' jailed for cultivating drug
Raymond Shewan The Press and Journal, Aberdeen
Tuesday 06 Aug 2002 Police acting on a tip-off discovered a huge cannabis-growing operation during a raid on the remote home of a drugs dealer known as Medicine Man. Elgin Sheriff Court heard yesterday that officers had found cannabis with a potential street value of more than 21,000 pounds being cultivated by 46-year-old Stuart Nisbet. Officers armed with a search warrant confiscated 72 plants and more than 200 items of paraphernalia involved in their cultivation. They also seized 980 pounds in cash which was linked to Nisbet's cannabis operation. Nisbet, known as Medicine Man because of his views on cannabis use, was jailed for 15 months by Sheriff Ian Cameron, despite a defence plea for him to be allowed to keep his liberty. He appeared on indictment and admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cannabis and cultivating cannabis plants. The court heard police, acting on information, raided Crofts Farmhouse, near Rothes, on July 18 last year and found cannabis being cultivated. Admitted Sheriff Cameron was shown a book of photographs of the inside and outside of the house and showing the scale of the cannabis-rearing operation. Fiscal David Dickson told Sheriff Cameron: "The accused goes by the name Medicine Man and freely admits to supporting himself and his lifestyle on the cultivation and sale of cannabis. In his statement to the police he was straightforward and admitted his involvement." Mr Dickson said the ultimate value of the cannabis had been calculated at between 14,400 pounds and 21,600 pounds based on each plant yielding 2-3 oz of cannabis and it being sold on. Defence solicitor Marc Dickson said Nisbet, whose address was given as Ardgay, Lower Cultie, Gorthleck, Inverness-shire, was unemployed but had worked previously in horticulture. Several years ago he was injured in a farm accident and had received 6,000 pounds in compensation, part of which he had invested in equipment concerned with cannabis growing. He had added to it over the years and the equipment which police had confiscated was valued at between 3,000 pounds and 3,500 pounds, said Mr Dickson. "Mr Nisbet was entirely open and candid with the police and sought to hide nothing from them." Mr Dickson said Nisbet felt very strongly about cannabis which he had been smoking since he was 14 or 15. The cannabis he grew was not for sale on street corners or in pubs and clubs but was sold to people broadly of Nisbet's age. "In that sense he was selling a particular product," said Mr Dickson. He pointed out that a social background report described Nisbet as a decent and honourable individual who accepted that what he had done was against the law. His views and opinions on cannabis were not going to change, said Mr Dickson, but he had given an undertaking to obey any further court order. Mr Dickson suggested he might be a suitable candidate for a restriction of liberty order which would allow him his freedom but which would mean that he was closely supervised. But Sheriff Cameron told Nisbet: "The fact is these activities, as you are well aware, are illegal and you chose quite consciously to pursue these activities on quite a substantial scale. "I accept that you possess certain beliefs and that you are not going to change these beliefs. "But I am obliged to apply the law as it stands, rather than what it might be in the future." Nisbet lived at the secluded Crofts Farm, overlooking the River Spey, three miles from Rothes, for only a few months and moved out shortly after his cannabis factory was uncovered. The present tenant who did not want to be named did not know Nisbet but said last night that he understood that part of the flooring in the house had to be replaced because of damage caused by Nisbet watering his cannabis plants. A neighbour said he had known Nisbet only by sight and they would wave in the passing. "He used to go off in the morning and come back at night but I don't know where he worked. He kept himself pretty much to himself - now we know why."
After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.
|
This page was created by the Cannabis Campaigners' Guide.
Feel free to link to this page!