A HAVERFORDWEST woman refused cannabis oil by her doctor decided to grow her own plants, a court heard on Friday.

Leona Vaughan-Griffiths, aged 55, grew so many plants police suspected at first she was planning to deal in the drug.

Vaughan-Griffiths admitted cultivating cannabis at her home, Cobweb Cottage, City Road, Haverfordwest.

Swansea crown court heard how a police officer went to her home on June 3 last year on an unrelated matter.

He found 14 cannabis plants growing in an upstairs bedroom and 18 plants growing in a garden shed.

Hannah George, prosecuting, said the operations were sophisticated and included heater lamps, insulation and fans.

Police also found bags of fertiliser.

Miss George said officers also found three mobile telephones but they did not reveal any dealing activity.

However, the plants could have produced a quantity of cannabis in excess of personal usage.

Miss George said the plants found in the shed alone could have led to cannbis with a street value as high as £13,000.

Judge Christopher Vosper said he would sentence Vaughan-Griffiths on the understanding that the prosecution did not claim she had been interested in supplying the drug.

He said he accepted that she had suffered from medical problems affecting her joints and had been interested in taking cannabis oil, but her doctor had refused.

Vaughan-Griffiths was made the subject of a 12 month community order and told to complete 35 days of a rehabilitation activity.

The court heard that she had been the subject of a suspended prison sentence at the time of the offending and for breaching that order she was fined £100.