A GAS worker inadvertently discovered a cannabis crop when he called to read a household meter, a court heard.

Twenty-seven small cannabis plants were found in a cupboard under the stairs at the home of Ryan Kelsey, in Rugby Street, Hartlepool.

Police were contacted and 21 further mature plants were found in a loft space.

Kelsey, 19, was arrested and said the cannabis plants belonged to him. He said he was in debt and grew his own cannabis in order to save money.

Prosecuting, Sue Jacobs told Teesside Crown Court said the plants were capable of producing a cannabis yield a police officer had valued at £18,637.

However, police also described it as a “amateur set-up” and more of a domestic level than a commercial level of production.

Andrew Teate, mitigating, said Kelsey was an immature 19-year-old who could not afford to buy his own cannabis and stupidly decided to grow it himself.

He also said the valuation placed on police on the crop was at the top-end of the scale.

He said: “There is no indication he tried to arrange any supply. It was a primitive operation.”

Kelsey, who admitted cannabis production, was given a 12 month jail sentence, suspended for two years, by Mr Justice Green.

The judge also said he would do 210 hours unpaid work.

He said: “If you breach this order you almost certainly will go to prison for a lengthy period of time.

“This is your last chance.”