THE strong aroma of cannabis plants has landed one man with a six-month stint in prison.

When police called at Anthony Teasdale's Darlington home, they recognised the distinctive smell of the Class C drug and, once inside the property, they discovered 26 plants.

The 46-year-old admitted producing a Class C drug and possession of 4.75gm of cocaine when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court.

Chris Williamson, prosecuting, told the court that police had called at Teasdale's home, in Peabody Street, in the North Road area, in December last year, on an unrelated incident, but detected the recognisable smell of cannabis while they were waiting for him to come home.

"He admitted to them there was some cannabis plants in a rear bedroom," said Mr Williamson. "When they got in, they found 26 well-maintained plants with electric fan heaters and lamps in the room. There was also some plastic bags in the house. The defendant also had eight bags of cocaine in his possession."

Pleading guilty to the charges, Teasdale maintained he was not dealing in drugs but the cannabis and cocaine was to feed his own habit.

David Lamb, mitigating, said: "The cannabis being cultivated was for his own personal use. All the drugs that this defendant had on him at the time were also for his own personal use."

The court also heard that Teasdale was serving a suspended sentence for driving offences and attempting to pervert the course of justice, when he gave false details in court.

Judge John Walford said: "In November last year, for the serious offences of perverting the course of justice and driving while disqualified, you were given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

"Within a matter of weeks, you were committing this further serious offence and the production of even Class C drugs, such as cannabis, can still receive a maximum of 14 years. Even if it is being produced for personal use this is serious enough to cross the custody threshold."

Teasdale was sentenced to six months for producing a controlled drug and three months consecutive for the possession of cocaine.

His suspended six-month sentence for perverting the course of justice was also activated to run concurrently.