A man who grew cannabis plants in the loft of his Port Erin home has been fined £1,500.

Sean Thomas Patrick O’Neill, of Church Road, admitted cultivation and possession of the drug, saying he used it for his anxiety and depression.

O’Neill was arrested after his fingerprints were found on an envelope he had given to a drug dealer.

We previously reported that, on January 22 at 8.12am, police executed a search warrant at Church Road.

A small amount of cannabis resin was found in the living room but police also found 11 plants in two tents in the loft along with heating and lighting devices, which O’Neill said he had bought online, and a book on cannabis cultivation.

He was arrested and in police interview said all the cannabis was his.

He said only two of the plants were for cannabis and the others were going to be used for CBD oil for cooking.

O’Neill told police he smoked cannabis for his anxiety and depression. He said his partner had no knowledge of the drugs.

The case had previously been delayed due to a dispute between the prosecution and defence over the projected yield of the plants. This was agreed at between 217 grams and 252 grams with a projected value of £4,100 to £4,500.

Defence advocate Peter Taylor handed in letters of reference for his client and asked for credit to be given for O’Neill’s guilty plea.

Mr Taylor said O’Neill had previously been buying the drug from a dealer and would put payment in an envelope.

When the dealer was arrested police dusted the envelope for fingerprints which led them to O’Neill.

’Unfortunately, because of his association with a dealer police came to his house,’ said Mr Taylor.

’In 2013, Mr O’Neill went through a bad spell but he has turned his life around. He does access support from his GP but he has been using cannabis to assist him with relaxing. He said he will go back to his GP to see if there are other ways he can address his anxiety and stress.’