A MAN who learned to grow his own cannabis over the internet because his benefits would not cover his £40 a day habit is facing eviction from his Penhill flat.

Luke Scott, 39, who has been a regular cannabis user since the age of 15, could not sustain the cost on his £60-a-week living allowance, and gathered some equipment from friends to set up his own cannabis factory.

Police spied him taking the ventilation and lighting equipment into his home at Upavon Court, and executed a drugs warrant on May 6.

Pauline Lambert, prosecuting, told Swindon Magistrates' Court: “This takes place back in May, when police have seen on video CCTV Mr Scott, along with two other men, carrying ventilation and lighting equipment into a 10-storey block of flats at Upavon Court.

“Police then execute a misuse of drugs warrant and find Mr Scott within the address.

"In one of the bedrooms are 15 cannabis plants, growing inside a greenhouse made with lighting, ventilation equipment and wiring.

"A further search of the property found a further 17 plants growing inside an airing cupboard, and saw the electricity meter had been bypassed.

“He is then arrested and fully admits he has installed this production equipment.

"He says he has been smoking drugs for a long time, and had an opportunity to get hold of some growing equipment, and thought he would have a go himself. He said he had planned to smoke the produce.

“He said he had learned how to abstract electricity on the internet and avoided paying the electricity, although part of the bill he was still paying for.”

The court heard that Scott, who was excluded from school and left with no qualifications, has previous convictions for possession and possession with intent to supply, in 2009 and 2012.

Richard Williams, defending, said: “This is the first time he had tried to grow his own cannabis.

"The items and accessories were given to him by a friend, and he had taught himself how to set this up by use of the internet.

"It is quite incredible what one can find over the internet these days.

“It was always his intention to use the plants for his own personal use.

"There is no suggestion of personal enterprise. He is a long term cannabis user since the age of 15.

“He is living on his own, and as a consequence of the warrant which the police executed, he has been served notice to be evicted.”

Scott was given a 12-month community order with supervision and a drugs rehabilitation requirement. He was also made to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work and pay compensation of £443.27 to the electric company, a victim surcharge of £60, £50 court costs, and a criminal courts charge of £180.