66-year-old woman let son’s friend from Wisbech grow cannabis in Elm home

“I’ve never broke the law before, I thought it would be a quick way of making money”.

Those were the words of a 66-year-old woman who let her son’s friend grow 23 cannabis plants in her house.

Lynette Wenn, of Gosmoor Lane in Elm, appeared at King’s Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday where she admitted permitting the production of a Class B drug at her home.

She also pleaded guilty to having 4.76g of the drug in her possession.

In court, she was joined by Kieran Brown, 31, of Worcester Road in Wisbech, who admitted to producing the plants, having 14g of the drug on him as well as drug-driving.

Prosecutor Sally Harris said that on March 2, police spotted a moped coming out of the address on Gosmoor Lane of which police were suspicious.

They pulled the moped over, which was being driven by Brown, and he was tested for drug-driving and came back positive for cocaine.

He had 32mcg of cocaine per litre of blood, the legal limit to drive is 10mcg.

He was arrested and taken to Lynn’s police investigation centre for questioning. Officers noticed he appeared “on edge” and was later found with 14g of cannabis and £150 in cash stuffed up his sleeves.

Officers searched the property he came out of, which turned out to be Wenn’s house. They found 23 small cannabis plants and 4.76g worth of the drug in Wenn’s bedroom drawer.

In police interview, Brown admitted to growing the plants to produce cannabis for himself, Wenn and Wenn’s son to use.

Brown was paying Wenn for the electricity to grow the plants.

Mitigating for herself, Wenn said: “At the time when the cost of living went up, I was really short and desperate for money.

“My health was not good either, I went along with it, I know it was wrong.”

She added: “I never broke the law before, I thought it was a quick way of making money but it wasn’t, it didn’t give me anything.”

She explained that she smoked cannabis to help with arthritis and lupus.

“I’m sorry, I’m really so sorry,” she said.

Andrew Cogan was mitigating for Brown, and said: “It wasn’t the most skilful horticultural operation.”

He added that Brown decided to grow it himself due to the rising cost of cannabis, but did not intend on dealing his yield.

“It was a very unsophisticated attempt, and a lot of it wasn't usable, even for a landscaper and gardener.”

Brown was given a community order which meant he had to complete 150 hours of unpaid work. He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.

He will pay a fine of £80, a victim surcharge of £114 and court costs of £50.

Wenn was fined by magistrates, led by Jenny Hutton, £120, with a victim surcharge of £48.

“I had the moped stolen the other day so I won’t be driving,” Brown said as he left the court.