Emneth prison officer sacked for growing cannabis

A prison officer from Emneth has been sacked for growing cannabis at home in a glasshouse, known as his “little playground”.

Stuart Michael Parker admitted to producing plants and was dismissed from his role before the case came to court on Thursday.

Magistrates in King’s Lynn were told that police received information from a neighbour of Parker’s who suspected that the drug was being grown.

Robyn Khan, prosecuting, said: “After caution, he said ‘It’s nothing to do with my partner, there’s a greenhouse where I’m growing cannabis.’”

Officers found 12 plants growing and a further one with a large number of buds, hanging in the garage, drying out.

In interview, he said he smoked cannabis on a daily basis and didn’t like spending money on it.

Parker pleaded guilty to producing a class B controlled drug on September 7.

Mitigating, Alison Muir said: “Commission of this offence is going to have a very far reaching effect. As a result, he has been dismissed from his job. He was highly regarded by his colleagues.”

Miss Muir said Parker had only been married four months so it had not been a good start but his wife was supportive of him.

She added: “He no longer takes cannabis because it’s got him into so much trouble.”

Parker was given a 12-month community order with 150 hours’ unpaid work. He was told to pay £85 costs and £90 victim surcharge. An order was made for the forfeiture and destruction of the drug.

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