A DRUG farmer who claimed he was growing cannabis plants because he was being threatened over a £20,000 debt has been jailed.

Father-of-four Billy Williams, from Newport, had a previous conviction for possessing the class B drug with intent to supply, the city’s crown court heard.

Prosecutor Suzanne Payne said the police raided his cannabis farm in Cardiff Road and uncovered a crop with a potential street value of £15,000.

The bust took place in a shed at his father-in-law’s house where officers found 20 plants on May 20, 2018.

Williams pleaded guilty to producing cannabis.

Miss Payne said he told police he was growing the drugs because he was “£20,000 in debt and had been threatened to do so”.

The court was told that the crop was being “well-cared for” with a yield that was potentially valued at £15,000.

Miss Payne said the defendant, aged 36, of Heron Way, Duffryn, had 18 previous convictions for 52 offences.

He received a supervision order in December 2014 for possessing cannabis with intent to supply and had a robbery on his record.

Gareth Williams, mitigating, said of his client: “He is the author of his own downfall. He went into this with his eyes open.”

His barrister said that Williams was entitled to full credit for his early guilty plea.

Mr Williams urged the court not to impose immediate custody.

He said the defendant had a good chance of gaining a full-time job despite not working for the past 10 years.

He added: “He has made valiant attempts to become more employable.”

Jailing him, Judge Niclas Parry told Williams: “You know the score. You had your chance four years ago.

“You were involved in a potentially very lucrative crop.”

He was sent to prison for 12 months and the judge ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and said the defendant will have to pay a victim surcharge upon his release from custody.