Edinburgh crime news: A foster carer, who has looked after more than 400 children over 30 years, has admitted setting up a large scale cannabis cultivation in her garage

A foster carer who has looked after more than 400 children over three decades has admitted setting up a large scale cannabis cultivation.

Elizabeth Marshall said she set up the £6000 drug operation for her own personal use during the Covid lockdown period last year.

But the dopey 62-year-old was snared by police after a blaze broke out in the garage next to her home in Penicuik, Midlothian, last year.

Firefighters raced to the property and after discovering the large scale cultivation inside the damaged garage the police were informed.

Edinburgh crime news: A foster carer, who has looked after more than 400 children over 30 years, has admitted setting up a large scale cannabis cultivation in her garage

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told there were 10 plants found inside a large tent along with growing equipment including fans, lights, air filters and a water pump.

Marshall pleaded guilty to a charge of producing cannabis when she appeared at the capital court last month and returned to the dock for sentencing yesterday.

Lawyer Murray Robertson said his client had cared for more than 400 children throughout her career and that she had the “good grace to resign” soon after her arrest.

Mr Robertson said Marshall had “dabbled to a degree with marijuana” when she was younger and had succumbed to “lockdown madness” by turning to the drug in the way others coped with “wine or food”.

The solicitor added Marshall had paid around £1000 for the hydroponic equipment from a seller on the internet.

Sheriff Adrian Fraser said the charge was made more serious due Marshall’s occupation at the time but noted she had no previous convictions and was of “good character until this matter”.

The sheriff added the offence is one that “would normally attract a custodial sentence” but he decided to impose a direct alternative to custody.

Marshall was placed on a community payback order and will have to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Previously the court heard the hydroponic set up was uncovered after fire fighters arrived to deal with the blaze at around 4.20pm on October 17 last year.

Fiscal depute Sanah Idrees said the Class B drug cultivation was worth around £6000.

A Crown motion to have the plants and growing equipment confiscated was granted by the sheriff.

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