A DRUG user attempted to grow cannabis plants with a street value of up to £10,000.

Police raided Darren Webber’s home in Meadow Way, Jaywick, in December and found 12 cannabis plants and nine grammes of dried herbal cannabis.

He said the drug was for personal use but officers estimated it would have been worth £2,000 to £10,000 if the operation had continued.

The 25-year-old, who has since moved to County Durham, admitted producing and possession of cannabis at Colchester Magistrates’ Court.

Webber told probation officers he had been using the drug to self medicate for mental health issues including depression, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder but had made real attempts to cut down since he had been arrested.

Graham Brown, mitigating said: “He was on medication but found it did not work properly which caused him to turn to cannabis. He then started with these plants.

“It was quite a crude set-up with just one fan being used and one light, and it was very much in its infancy.

“None of the plants had begun to bud.”

Webber was ordered to do 40 hours of unpaid work and pay £170 court charges.