A Wellington pensioner who turned part of his home into a cannabis factory, growing plants with a potential yield worth £2,400, came ‘within a hair’s breadth’ of an immediate prison sentence after a judge acknowledged going inside would terrify him.

Joseph Garland, 69, was found growing the drug in a room specially set up with lights and other equipment when police raided his home in Blackdown Road, Rockwell Green, with a search warrant in February last year. He later admitted producing cannabis and possessing criminal property, Taunton Crown Court was told.

William Hunter, prosecuting, said officers found a ‘considerable amount of paperwork’, which demonstrated planning, costs of equipment and potential yield – ‘not just for these premises but, it would appear, for another premises’.

“They also found £6,565. This was a profitable commercial enterprise,” he added. When arrested, Garland said he did not use cannabis and was looking after the money for someone else.

Mr Hunter said he played a significant role in the enterprise and guidelines suggested a prison sentence of 26 weeks to two years. Garland had a record of 13 court appearances for 21 offences but nothing since 1998 and no drug offences.

Emma Martin, defending, said Garland accepted it was a commercial enterprise but it was not for his gain. Others were involved and they paid him for the extra electricity he used. He ‘became involved’ with two men he met at a garden centre when someone tried to rob him, and they would meet for a pint and a chat. He was widowed and had lived alone since 2010 after nursing his wife – who died from cancer – and enjoyed their company. They recognised he was good with figures and he did the calculations for them and told them when they should be harvesting the crops.

She added: “He enjoyed the interaction with these men and they would buy him a drink from time to time in a pub. He’s led a law-abiding life for decades. He has two daughters, visits the crematorium every week and lives a very modest life. He had a heart attack in 2014 and is midway through treatment in the neurology department in Musgrove Park hospital.”

Recorder Nicolas Gerasimidis said the number of plants found by police showed it was not the first time cannabis had been grown there. The potential yield was in the region of £800 to £2,400 and the equipment was worth £1,500.

He was involved with two men he did not wish to name and had: “Made the extremely foolish decision to allow them access to your home and involve you in what was undoubtedly for them a profitable commercial cannabis enterprise. It’s accepted on your behalf that the sentencing guidelines on both these offences exposes you to a risk of an immediate custodial sentence with a range of 26 months to three years.”

He added: “On your behalf it’s argued that there was no great commercial gain from your perspective. That may have an element of truth in it but it’s not the whole truth. Your age would make a custodial sentence unjustifiably onerous – I have great sympathy with that. I can, exceptionally, pass a sentence which means you don’t have to go to prison today.”

Garland walked from court with a sentence of eight months suspended for two years and a two-month curfew from 7pm to 7am. He was ordered to pay a mandatory surcharge of £100.