Injured man grew cannabis for pain relief

James Tonner, who broke both legs, his back and pelvis in the crash and had a kidney removed, used the drug to alleviate his pain.

When police raided his home they found more than £4,000 of the drug which Tonner said he intended using himself.

Tonner, 36, of Edgeway Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to producing and possessing cannabis.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, said police executed a drugs search warrant at Tonner’s home on June 11 at 11.30am.

Tonner was asked if he had been growing cannabis and he admitted he had grown five plants in a small tent in his living room.

Six jars of cannabis were found in his kitchen and another in the living room. The estimated street value of the drugs was £4,440.

Tonner told police he smoked five to 12 joints of cannabis a day depending on his level of pain and the amount he had harvested would last him months.

Trevor Colebourne, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had been in a road accident some years ago in which his best friend, who was driving, had died.

Tonner, who had been a joiner, suffered severe injuries. He had been unable to work again and could only walk with difficulty.

He was sentenced to a six-month community order with up to 10 days’ rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, fined £50 with £85 costs, and ordered to pay a £180 court charge with £60 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.