Kilmarnock woman grew cannabis to ease pain

Nov 27 2009

A KILMARNOCK woman turned to cannabis to ease the pain caused by a brain tumour.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard last week that when police raided the home of Lesley McRoberts in Treesbank Road in July they found 20 cannabis plants in her loft.

Twenty seven-year-old McRoberts pleaded guilty to producing the drug.

“The accused admitted straight away that the plants were hers,” said Robert Bloomer, prosecuting.

McRoberts also told the officers that the plants would be ready for cultivation in “ a couple of weeks”.

Despite the high number of plants, it was accepted that the cannabis was for her own use, said Mr Bloomer.

McRoberts, he told Sheriff Iona McDonald, had originally been prosecuted on indictment.

Mr Bloomer said: “There is a medical background and I assume that is partly why it has been reduced to summary.”

Allan Kerr, defending, said that McRoberts had suffered a brain injury 2½ years ago and had been in hospital for a considerable time.

He told the court: “Although the tumour is dormant, it causes pressure on the fluids in the brain and that has to be alleviated by a permanent shunt which causes her considerable pain.”

McRoberts was prescribed medication which “helps to an extent”, but found that cannabis was more effective.

She had not taken cannabis before developing the conditions, said Mr Kerr.

The solicitor said that McRoberts had found buying cannabis too expensive and she was uncomfortable dealing with the sort of person that sold it.

“Some friends got together and set up this greenhouse system in the loft,” he said.

Mr Kerr said that it was unknown how McRoberts had come to the attention of the police, as she had been very discreet.

“I assume it was the electricity board, as it usually is,” he said.

Sheriff McDonald deferred sentence until February next year.