A 44-YEAR-OLD man and a 43-year-old woman have been sentenced after police discovered cannabis being grown at a city property.

Cannabis growing equipment, lights, a ventilation system, as well as 11 plants, were discovered by police after they raided the Ombersley Road property in November 2016, Worcester Magistrates Court heard.

Matthew Goode, of Teme Road, pleaded guilty to producing class B cannabis, and to possession, while Amanda Lewis, who lives at the Ombersley Road address, admitted permitting the production and also of possession of cannabis when they appeared at the court on Thursday.

Prosecuting Kerry Lovegrove told magistrates the cannabis was grown in a bolted cellar, and Goode had admitted to police he was the one growing them from the start.

Miss Lovegrove said: "He told police he had doing this for two years, and this is the best quality he had ever had.

"He said he had smoked cannabis for 20 years."

Miss Lovegrove added that Goode also told police that the couple's three children did not have access to the cellar as it was locked, and that Lewis had told police she was not an active participant in the production.

Sarah Brady, defending, stressed this point saying Lewis had played "no active role whatsoever" - and pointed out social services had visited her and had no concerns about the environment the children were living in.

Miss Brady said: "The children had no idea (about the production).

"They have never smoked in front of the children."

Miss Brady told magistrates the cannabis had been grown for the couple's personal use.

She said the couple were now living apart, and Lewis had become anxious as she had been waiting for the court case to be resolved for a year.

Representing Goode, Miss Brady said he struggled with a heroin addiction, and had grown cannabis to give him something to do.

"It was almost a hobby," Miss Brady said.

"He stopped growing immediately - there has been nothing since."

Goode was given a 12-month community order, with a drug rehabilitation requirement of six months, and 80 hours unpaid. He was also ordered to pay £85 victim surcharge.

Lewis was fined £80 for the offences and ordered to pay costs of £180 and a victim surcharge of £30 - a total of £290.

Magistrates also ordered for the cannabis to be destroyed.