Man who had £159,000 cannabis farm spared jail again after breaches

Michael Ewing, 41, was found with 194 cannabis plants at his former property in Lydbury Close, Stirchley, Telford, in June 2018. He was given a two-year jail sentence, suspended for two years in September 2020.

One of the conditions of his sentence was to turn up to probation service meetings, but he missed several appointments. He has also completed only six of 25 rehabilitation days.

Kevin Jones, defending, told Shrewsbury Crown Court that Ewing and his family had "a nice house in Muxton" when the offences were carried out, but the then found themselves in Sutton Hill, an area they "struggled to find acceptance with".

"It put a strain on their relationship," added Mr Jones, who said Ewing's marriage had broken down.

Mr Jones urged Judge Peter Barrie not to send Ewing to custody as he was the family breadwinner.

Ewing, who was previously of Ryder Drive, Muxton, Telford, but now lives in Stafford, pleaded guilty to breaching a suspended sentence order. It comes after he previously pleaded guilty to producing cannabis and abstracting electricity.

Part of his mitigation when the drugs factory was found was that he had cancer, and was using the drug operation to try to build a nest egg for his six children in the event that he died. He was given a clean bill of health before his previous sentencing.

Judge Barrie accepted that it was a case of a communication breakdown which did not represent a "flagrant" breach of the conditions of his sentence.

Ewing was ordered to pay £200 in fines and costs, and had another five rehabilitation days added to his sentence.