A 31-year-old man who set up a cannabis farm in a rented house in Lowestoft has been jailed for two years.

Police officers who stopped Kyle Dickson as he was driving at night along Camp Road in the town in May 2021 noticed a strong smell of cannabis, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

When he was searched four bags of cannabis were found in his underwear, and when officers searched a semi-detached house rented by Dickson in Holly Road they found 215 cannabis plants, said Adam Norris, prosecuting.

He said Dickson had paid £4,350 up front for six months' rent on the property and had been the sole tenant since December 2020.

Lowestoft Journal: Dickson was jailed for two years at Ipswich Crown CourtDickson was jailed for two years at Ipswich Crown Court (Image: Suffolk police)

Mr Norris said that 80 of the plants were viable and could have yielded cannabis with a potential street value of between £6,870 and £17,280 and there also was evidence of a previous harvest.

Dickson admitted producing cannabis between November 30, 2020 and May 4, 2021 and possessing cannabis.

Steven Dyble, for Dickson, said of the total number of plants only 85 were viable while the other 135 were dead.

He said Dickson suffered from ADHD and had become involved in growing the cannabis plants to pay off a drug debt.

"It was a grave error of judgment," said Mr Dyble.