A DUDLEY dad caught growing cannabis with a potential street value of up to £10,000 told cops “I am going to smoke it all myself.”

Harjit Swali’s personal production line was discovered when police visited his home on an unrelated matter.

When they searched the house, officers found 12 plants together with cultivating equipment inside a tent in the bedroom which could have had a potential yield of up to 1,000 grammes.

Ben Close, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court the cannabis would have a street value of between £2,160 and just over £10,000 but it was accepted the drugs were for Swali’s own use.

Swali, of Banklands Road, admitted producing cannabis and he was told by Judge Nicholas Cole it was a “reasonably sophisticated hydroponic system.”

Mr Gary Cook, for Swali, described his client as a hard-working, decent individual who was always ready to help friends.

He said it was the first time Swali, aged 41, had grown cannabis, it was for his own use and the offence had been completely out of character.

Swali was placed on supervision for a year, ordered to carry out 40 hours unpaid work in the community and to pay £300 costs.