A FORMER businessman grew enough cannabis to make almost 7,000 reefers claimed the drugs were used to medicate his badly-injured girlfriend.

Police found super-strength cannabis hidden all over Alexis Fisher's home in Reeth, near Richmond, North Yorkshire, during a raid a year ago.

Three shopping bags stuffed with the drugs were found in a wardrobe and a bin bag full of stalks was discovered in the garage, a court heard.

Lamps, high-powered fans, a dehumidifier and a plastic greenhouse were also found in the property in Hatters Garth.

Father-of-two Fisher, 40, claimed he grew just 25 plants in the house, but had an "unexpectedly high" yield.

He insisted he would have incinerated any surplus after his partner had used what she needed from the £10,000 harvest - and not sold any of it.

Christine Redmond, mitigating, told Teesside Crown Court that once-successful Fisher's life "went off the rails" six years ago.

He lost his business as a road accident litigator and his home on Merseyside, and his marriage collapsed.

After meeting his new partner, Karen Campbell, the couple moved to the Yorkshire dales for a fresh start away from their troubles in Liverpool.

Miss Campbell had been the victim of a savage assault in 2004 - said to have been a bid to kill her - and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

She also has a brain tumour, three missing discs in her spine and a painful foot injury, Miss Redmond told the judge, Mr Recorder Adams.

"The assault was so vicious that those responsible were actually charged with attempted murder," she added. 

Fisher admitted charges of producing Class B drugs and possessing them with intent to supply, at an earlier court hearing.

Mr Recorder Adams imposed a 12-month community order with Probation Service supervision and 100 hours of unpaid work.