By James Simons-
A man from West Yorkshire has been given the light sentence of a community order for growing cannabis and having a samurai sword.
Josh Hoang, 43, of Hazelton Close in the Wrose area, faced two charges at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court on January 18.
Hong was sentenced for producing a controlled drug of class b – cannabis and possessing an offensive weapon in a private place.
Hoang was present at court on the day and pleaded guilty to both charges.
The 43-year-old was sentenced on the same day and was handed a community order and fine.
He was ordered to complete 180 hours community service over the next 12 months and to pay £180.
This includes, a £95 surcharge to fund victim services and costs of £85 to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Hoang will pay this off in £20 monthly instalments, beginning on February 15.
The charges relate to a date at the end of last year – Christmas Eve (December 24, 2021) – when Hoang was found with 28 cannabis plants at his home.
Cannabis is classified as a class B drug. As such, any person who is caught with cannabis risks up to five years imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both. While being convicted of producing and supplying a Class B drug, risks up to 14 years imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both.
Hoang also possessed in private at the address a samurai sword.
This includes, a £95 surcharge to fund victim services and costs of £85 to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Hoang will pay this off in £20 monthly instalments, beginning on February 15.
Hoang will also have to comply with any instructions of the responsible officer to attend rehabilitation activity appointments, or to participate in any activity as required by the responsible officer up to a maximum of 12 days.
The defendant’s guilty plea was taken into account when the court imposed the sentence.
Cannabis use is widespread in the UK and many counties in the world.
According to a 2016 Home Office Survey, 6.5% of people aged between 16 and 59 reported to have used cannabis in the previous year, with the figure rising to 15.8% amongst those aged between 16 and 24.
In 2018, Home Office figures showed that 15,120 people in England and Wales were prosecuted for possession of cannabis.
However within the United Kingdom, there is now something of a postcode lottery surrounding the enforcement of Cannabis laws. For example, where the overall level of cannabis prosecutions fell by 19% between 2015 and 2018, in Cheshire the number of cannabis prosecutions increased.