Oxford graduate had 40-plant cannabis farm worth £16,000 in Hartlepool home

Daniel Jebbett narrowly avoided jail for the crimes when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court and was told by a judge he would not be given any more chances.

The 41-year-old was first arrested when police found the cannabis in his home in Carlton Street, Hartlepool, on September 13 in 2018.

It was prompted after Jebbett and a female were seen selling suspected counterfeit cigarettes from a van in Morton Street.

Prosecutor Anthony Pettengell told the court: “On attending police found a cannabis grow consisting of 40 plants set up in the rear bedroom of the first floor of the property.

"Police describe the approximate value had they reached maturity being just under £16,500.”

A set of digital scales, vacuum seal bags and an amount of cannabis was also found.

When quizzed by police he claimed it was all for his own use.

Jebbett was then arrested again for a separate matter when he sent a number of racially and religiously aggravated messages to a Muslim acquaintance on September 7 last year.

In one he threatened “I will take your head off” and Jebbett also sent a message relating to the victim’s religion.

In an Impact Statement the victim said: “I have been having nightmares about the incident.”

The victim also said he is ‘disgusted’ that Jebbett made a derogatory reference to his religious beliefs, adding: “This is completely wrong and I’m hurt by it.”

Jebbett, formerly of Kimberley Street, Hartlepool, and now of Ting Street in Leicester, admitted production of cannabis and sending a malicious communication.

His lawyer Ismael Uddin said Jebbett is an educated man having graduated from Oxford but in recent times struggled after a family bereavement.

He maintained the cannabis was for personal use. Regarding the abusive messages Mr Uddin said Jebbett and the victim had been friends and said he was “extremely sorry”.

He was given 48 weeks prison suspended for 12 months and fined £100.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough Judge Paul Watson said: “You are not going to get a second chance.”

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