Edinburgh cannabis plantation could have gone up in a puff of smoke

A dad-of-five was caught growing a large cannabis cultivation after firefighters smashed his front door down due to an alarm going off inside the property.

Lee Lambert was found to have four plants growing in his home in the Corstorphine area of Edinburgh when police officers were forced to enter the property.

A neighbour had contacted the emergency services after an alarm sounded within Lambert’s house and they became concerned for his safety.

Officers arrived at the property but after failing to get a response they called in the fire service to break the door down.

Lee Lambert's cannabis cultivation was found by police

The cannabis plants were found within and were said to have been worth around £10,000.

Lambert was then arrested when he arrived home around two hours later on August 8 last year.

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to being concerned in the production of the Class B drug when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Procurator fiscal depute Jack Caster said police arrived at the home at around midnight and discovered the plants along with cultivation paraphernalia including a grow tent, fans and a transformer.

Mr Caster added the plants yielded 1.56kg of the drug which was worth in the region of £10,920.

Lawyer Jim Stephenson, defending, said his client had suffered “a serious back injury” 20 years ago and used the drug for pain relief.

The solicitor said Lambert had made it “absolutely clear it was only for his own use” and did not supply to others.

He added Lambert, who has recently started work in building maintenance for a pharmaceutical firm, had stopped using cannabis .

Sheriff John Cook called for reports and deferred sentence to next month.

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