A MAN who was growing cannabis at his home claimed it was for medicinal purposes.

John Corbett, 59, had been cultivating about nine plants, which would have produced drugs with a street value of almost £1,300, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Corbett received a suspended jail term, after a judge told him he did not think probation service supervision would stop him doing it again.

Judge Andrew Woolman said: "It’s clear that previous court orders have not prevented you from doing it again."

The judge said the starting point for what the defendant had done was custody, but he was prepared to suspend the sentence.

He told the court: "Last time, he had an addressing substance related offfending programme and that didn't seem to stop him producing cannabis plants at home."

The defendant, of Henry Street, Nelson, admitted producing cannabis. He was given four months in jail, suspended for two years, with a one month residency order.

Julian Taylor, prosecuting, told the court Corbett admitted the offence on the basis he was growing the cannabis for his own personal use.

Police went to Henry Street on August 20, last year,and seized between 15 and 20 plants. Some were mouldy and only about nine were growing. The drugs would weigh 227 grammes - about eight ounces- and would have had a street value of £1,297.

Mr Taylor said the defendant made no comment on interview. He then said he was growing for his own use and used about a half an ounce of cannabis a day. He told officers the scales found were to weigh how much he was taking for medicinal purposes of if he went to buy cannabis off anybody else.

The court was told Corbett had previous convictions for cultivating cannabis and in June 2005 was given a community rehabilitation order for three counts of supply.