POLICE officers had an unexpected surprise when they went to investigate reports a 49-year-old man had been attacked in his own home.

When officers arrived at the home of Craig Darbyshire in Barnes Street, Clayton-le-Moors, they discovered cannabis plants and dried out cannabis with an estimated street value of £11,000 in an upstairs bedroom.

The dad-of-two told officers he was growing the drug for his own use and to exchange with other growers for different types of cannabis.

But Recorder Peter Atherton rejected Darbyshire's explanation and said the case had the hallmarks of a vulnerable man being exploited by an organised criminal gang.

Prosecuting Peter Barr said police had gone around to Darbyshire's property at around midnight on April 12, 2016, to reports he had been assaulted.

When they entered they the house was 'as hot as a sauna', there was a loud humming noise coming from an extractor fan and there was a strong smell of cannabis.

Mr Barr said officers found 16 plants in a bedroom which had been converted into what he described as a 'sophisticated set-up' for growing cannabis.

A police expert said those plants had a potential street value of £9,140, while there was also around £1,860 of dried cannabis in the property.

Mr Barr said: "During police interview the defendant accepted he was growing cannabis but he gave a religious explanation to his right to grow it and use it.

"He has by his guilty pleas accepted his intention to grow it and his intention to supply it to others."

Darbyshire, who has two previous convictions for two offences, pleaded guilty to producing cannabis and possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

Defending, James Heyworth said his client was somewhat of an unusual character who spent a lot of his time while be interviewed by a probation officer discussing the Bill of Rights and the Magna Carta.

Mr Heyworth said: "The defendant accepts he produced the drug. He would have smoked some of the cannabis himself. He would have exchanged it with other users for different brands or types of cannabis."

Recorder Atherton said: "This strikes me very clearly as the type of case of people with greater criminal responsibility using people like this man. They set them up in their own homes with expensive equipment to produce cannabis.

"It is part of a sophisticated criminal organisation. To suggest it is being produced to swap for other cannabis plants is nonsense in my view.

"The cost of installing sophisticated equipment is many thousands of pounds. This defendant is on benefits."

Darbyshire was given a 20-week prison sentence, which was suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

A forfeiture and destruction order was made for the cannabis and associated paraphernalia.