A JOBLESS Ryde man who grew cannabis plants worried he may not be able to get any of the drug during lockdown, appeared before Island magistrates.

Police turned up at the home of Gary Thomas Lindsay on the evening of May 10, following a tip off he had cannabis, said Liz Miller, prosecuting, at the IW Magistrates' Court.

Officers could smell cannabis from outside Lindsay's open front door and entered his home.

Lindsay refused to allow the police to search his premises and demanded they produce a warrant.

But officers used emergency search powers and discovered a large tent in one of his rooms, which contained 11 cannabis plants, together with cannabis seeds, mobile phones and lighting equipment, said Miss Miller.

Lindsay, 54, told the police he had no intention of supplying the drug and that it was purely for his own use.

Probation officer, Kelly Gough, told the bench Lindsay had a long-standing problem with cannabis use to help him cope with depression and anxiety and that he grew the drug during the pandemic worried he would not be able to get it in lockdown.

Lindsay wanted to get off drugs, said his solicitor, James Cameron.

For producing cannabis, a Class B controlled drug, magistrates handed Lindsay a 12-month community order and fined him £40, with £85 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

Presiding magistrate Gordon Cooper told Lindsay: "That's a lot of money to pay for 11 cannabis plants."