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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Back pain sufferer sold drug to friends Grizelda Graham Evening News, Norwich Saturday 02 Aug 2003 A MAN who was found with a mini cannabis factory in his home has narrowly avoided being sent to jail for selling the drug to friends. Michael Sankey was handed a six-month suspended jail sentence by Norwich Crown Court judge Paul Downes yesterday, who warned him any more dealing would result in him being thrown behind bars. Sankey had told the court he used cannabis to ease his chronic back pain. Judge Downes said: "I am not unsympathetic to the idea that sometimes cannabis can assist pain relief and perhaps the sooner it is considered possible to prescribe it, the better for people like you. "But that is not the position at the moment and possessing cannabis is still an offence. "I am not unsympathetic to the idea that it is sometimes a better way of alleviating pain than chemical drugs the difficulty is that you have gone beyond what might be tolerated in selling on drugs. "Breaking the law for your own comfort is one thing, but breaking the law to sell it to others puts you in the chain of supply." Sankey said he knew what prison was like as nearly 30 years ago he was jailed for possession of the drug. Sankey, 56, of Gentry Place on the city's Larkman estate, admitted cultivating cannabis, possessing cannabis resin and three offences of supplying the drug. Prosecutor Stephen Franklin told yesterday's hearing that on January 24 police went to Sankey's home where they found 30 plants being grown hydroponically. They also found some cannabis resin and, after examining a computer, found an item entitled 'Gardening Tips'. It related to the growth of cannabis plants during the previous year. Another item called 'Sold' related to the supply of the drug to others. A total of about £500 worth was involved. The court heard Sankey had a number of convictions for possessing the drug and was convicted of growing it in 2001 and 2002. Michael Clare, for Sankey, said his client was on invalidity benefit and suffered chronic back ache which also led to depression. "He is someone who does not see the harm in what he does and is therefore breaking the law on a regular basis. "Cannabis is very much part of his life. He believes it should be legalised." He said Sankey had only supplied the drug, for a very modest profit, to friends who already used it and had done the same for him in the past. After an earlier hearing Sankey told the Evening News the drug was just for his personal use. "I will smoke it for the rest of my life," he said. He refused to comment on leaving court yesterday.
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