Dad grew cannabis to supply daughter

Jun 4 2009 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

A FATHER who grew cannabis to supply his daughter with the drug has been electronically tagged.

John Cunningham was caught after police officers raided his home in Church Place, Fauldhouse, on November 11 last year.

A search of the 41-year-old’s house found six cannabis plants in the loft along with several items of drugs paraphernalia including a large lamp with a fan and bags of herbal material.

He was interviewed by officers and made several admissions about the plants, which were valued at £600.

Linlithgow Sheriff Court heard that it was accepted by the Crown that the cannabis was to be supplied to his daughter on a non-commercial basis.

Cunningham’s solicitor, Peter Mullin, told the court his client accepted it was a serious matter.

Mr Mullin added: “He knows he will have to reduce his use of cannabis and to that affect he has contacted West Lothian Drug and Alcohol Services.

“He has been candid enough to say he has become a habitual user of cannabis.

“The first part of his schedule shows an alarming amount of custodial sentences. Effectively between 1985 and 1991 he was in and out of prison.

“But he has a relative lack of convictions under the misuse of drugs act.”

Sheriff Martin Edington said Cunningham had narrowly avoided being jailed.

Ordering Cunningham to be electronically tagged, meaning he will have to stay within his home between 7pm and 7am for the next 210 days, Sheriff Edington said: “You have got a very lengthy record of previous convictions and you have a long history of drug and alcohol abuse, which is ongoing.

“You not only seem to encourage your daughter in the misuse of drugs but you go as far as supplying them so she can take them.

“You have a previous conviction for being involved in the supply of drugs for which you were sent to jail for nine months, albeit that was 18 years ago.

“I have to say a prison sentence is foremost in the court’s mind.

“Having said that I am prepared to take into account that the drug in question was cannabis.

“The Crown has accepted it was a one off supply to a member of your family on a non-commercial basis.

“So I am prepared to give you one last chance to keep your liberty.”