A TEENAGER claimed he was pressurised into setting up a cannabis farm to repay a drug debt, a court heard.

Bradley James Todd was tending the grow in a rented property in Shildon, for up to three months early last year.

Durham Crown Court heard that it came to a halt when police visited the address, in Waterloo Terrace, on Wednesday May 18.

Paul Abrahams, prosecuting, said officers were about to enter when two figures emerged shouting: “We’re coming out.”

One of the pair was Gareth Todd, 25, whose 19-year-old brother, Bradley, was later seen on the roof shouting obscenities, having climbed out of a window, carrying a black bin liner.

He was eventually talked down and the bag was found to contain cannabis plant buds. As he was about to be handcuffed he leaned forward, as if to kiss his girlfriend, then bolted for his freedom. Two hours later he was traced to an address in Evenwood, where he again, initially, sought refuge on the roof.

Mr Abrahams said a search of the house revealed no sign of anyone living there, although there was dog food and dirt. Rooms had been set up for cannabis growing and storage, with 20 plants recovered and evidence of a further ten having been harvested.

Mr Abrahams said it could have reaped between £12,000 and £21,000.

The electricity meter had been by-passed, with an estimated £1,106-worth of free power gained and costing £486 to repair.

Both Bradley Todd, now 20, of The Oval, Shildon, and Gareth Todd, of Auckland Wynd, Bishop Auckland, admitted producing a class B drug. Bradley Todd also admitted abstracting electricity and escaping lawful custody.

Lewis Kerr, mitigating for Bradley Todd, said the background to the offence was his cannabis use, for which he was able to meet the cost until he broke an arm, ending an apprenticeship with a building company. When he fell behind with payments to his dealers he set up the cannabis grow to repay his debts.

David Carmichael, mitigating for Gareth Todd, said he merely assisted by agreeing to act as guarantor for his brother on the property, knowing the reason it was being rented.

Bradley Todd was sentenced to 12 months in a young offenders’ institution, with six weeks added, as he was in breach of a previous suspended sentence.

Judge Deborah Sherwin passed a four-month sentence, suspended for a year, on Gareth Todd, as she accepted he was, ‘naively’ trying to assist his brother. He was also ordered to perform 100-hours’ unpaid work.