A MAN who turned his home into a cannabis farm to feed his drug habit was spared jail yesterday.

Derek Anderson, 30, had farms in two bedrooms as well as in the cupboard under the stairs at his house in Parliament Street, Hebburn, South Tyneside.

Newcastle Crown Court was told how he was caught when police raided his home armed with a search warrant on May 31 last year.

A total of 395 plants were recovered but forensic scientists said they were of poor quality and would not have produced a large yield.

Anderson told police he had been using cannabis for many years.

Prosecutors accepted Anderson did not intend to deal the drugs to others and was growing it for his own use.

Defence barrister Gavin Doig said: "Quite clearly he had had a cannabis problem for many years which needs to be addressed."

Judge Tony Lancaster said: "You were growing them for your own use, not for commercial gain. For this reason, it is not necessary to send you to prison."

Anderson, who admitted a charge of producing a class A drug, was sentenced to a community order for 12 months with a drug rehabilitation requirement.