A DRUG user has admitted growing 221 cannabis plants in the front bedroom of his home.

Magistrates in Darlington declined jurisdiction on the case today (Tuesday, March 25) after hearing the quantity of the Class B drugs being grown by 32-year-old Daniel Reynolds.

The court heard that police discovered the plants while executing a warrant at Reynolds’ home on Kitchener Street in the town on March 3.

They also found that he had bypassed an electricity meter to supply power to the heating, lighting and filtration system rigged up to cultivate the plants.

In court, Reynolds pleaded guilty to producing a controlled Class B drug.

Mitigating, Peter Bradford said Reynolds had a long-standing knee injury and self-medicated with cannabis.

Mr Bradford said Reynolds was growing the drugs for his own personal use and this was backed up by the fact that police did not find any evidence of a commercial supply operation while they were searching his house.

Magistrates sent the case to the Crown Court where Reynolds will be sentenced on a date to be fixed.