Cannabis plants with a potential £8,400 yield are set to be destroyed after they were found in a Milford Haven man's bedroom.

Daniel Thomas Fairlie, Of Chestnut Way, Mount Estate, pleaded guilty to producing 15 cannabis plants when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday.

The plants were discovered in a tent in the 22 year-old’s bedroom when police executed a search warrant on February 7, after forcing their way into his home.

Ellie Morgan, prosecuting, told the court that the flowering female plants were approximately 30cms high, and Fairlie had admitted growing them for his own personal use.

The court heard that Fairlie had borrowed a growing tent, lights and a fan and was loaned money from his unsuspecting father to pay for the extra electricity.

Miss Morgan said: “He said he was spending a lot of money on weed, £70 a week, and the plan was to grow it himself.”

She added that 53g could potentially have been produced by each of the plants if they reached maturity, with a potential total street value of £8,400.

The bench heard that this was Fairlie’s first attempt at growing the Class B drug, and he had read up about the process before embarking on the project.

Mike Kelleher, defending, questioned whether the plants would produce the amount of cannabis suggested by the prosecution.

“To suggest that what was there could yield £8,400 might be taking things a bit too far. This was the first time Mr Fairlie had attempted to grow these plants. He thinks that some of them may have been dying.”

Mr Kelleher added: “He had no intention of selling anything that was produced.”

Magistrates imposed a 12 month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work.

Fairlie was ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £85 surcharge. A destruction order was made for the plants and equipment.