65-year-old Inverness man claims 71 cannabis plants found in loft were for personal use

POLICE recovered cannabis plants with a potential value of £63,900 from the loft of a house in Inverness.

Officers on mobile patrol searched the property in Darris Road after they noticed a strong smell of cannabis in the area and began to carry out door-to-door inquires.

Depute fiscal Robert Weir said officers went to the home of Terrence Small on December 15 last year and they were invited into the property, a three-bedroomed semi-detached bungalow.

On entering the building they got a stronger smell of cannabis and when they explained to Small they were carrying out inquiries regarding the smell in the area, he said he had 10 plants upstairs.

Police obtained a search warrant and found 71 plants in three separate areas of the loft, which was accessed by ladders.

Tests confirmed they were cannabis plants and the fiscal said the value of the entire cultivation, if allowed to mature, was £63,900.

Small (65) pleaded guilty to the cultivation of the drug.

He said the cannabis was for personal use.

Sentence was deferred until November 5 for reports.