A MAN set up a cannabis factory in his rented house in Redditch following instructions on YouTube, a court has heard.

Michael Turner, aged 23, spent £1,200 on equipment including high-powered lighting, fans, tents and a 12-hour timer for the 40 plants in his three bedroomed house in Rectory Road, Worcester Crown Court was told.

Turner pleaded guilty to producing cannabis but claimed it was all for his own heavy use. He said he smoked about 10 grams a week at a cost of £100 and had grown his own to cut costs after finding out how on the Internet.

Lisa Hancox, prosecuting, told the court it had been estimated that at an average rate of use it would have taken eleven years to get through the potential yield of the 40 plants found in Turner's home.

Turner said he did not know how much they were worth and claimed he used the drugs to alleviate the pain in a bad back caused by an accident.

Judge Michael Cullum said he did not believe that Turner was unaware of the value of the plants as he had carried out extensive research into growing them and the upstairs of the house had been set up as a factory. He said it was clear that some of the cannabis was likely to have been sold.

Charles Hamer, defending, said Turner was in full time work and had cut down on his drug use.

Turner was given a twelve month sentence suspended for twelve months with 250 hours unpaid work.