John Dowson pleaded guilty to cultivating a controlled drug and illegally obtaining about £300 of electricity when he appeared before Hartlepool magistrates. He claimed he stole the electricity because he was unhappy with his high bills!

David Smith, mitigating, said: "The electricity bills he had been receiving had been disproportionately high, around £40 a week.

"He took the law into his own hands, and now thoroughly regrets the decision to do so." 

Canna Zine Comment
We hear a lot about police forces around the UK stamping down hard on cannabis growers. What we don't hear so much of is the talk from people who have had the dreaded knock on the door, but who did not end up getting busted.

According to the grapevine in a lot of instances police are simply photographing the cannabis garden, and then walking away, leaving it intact to grow to completion. If there are no suggestions the cannabis is destined for commercial markets, and the police are happy the grower is supplying only himself, there's a good chance no further action will result, depending of course, on how the grower deals with the police, who are after all, only doing their job.

But rest assured if you are stealing electricity, you are going to be arrested, face a trip to the police station, will be bailed, and then will be expected to appear in court to face charges of "abstracting electricity", with the cannabis cultivation most likely the lesser of the charges you may face.

So don't be a dope. Pay for your power.

By Red Dragon