A man has admitted growing cannabis plants in his girlfriend’s loft without her knowing about it.

Troy Atherton, 31, grew nine plants which were only discovered when police went to her home looking for him over another matter.

As they searched the house in Kenyon Walk in Wigmore, Gillingham, they came across the drugs, along with fans, lamps and other growing paraphernalia.

Cannabis smoker Atherton, of Hawbeck Road, Gillingham, was not there at the time but was arrested when he went to the police station.

He told police he had only been growing it for nine weeks and would top up his partner’s key meter for the electric use, so she wouldn’t notice.

Atherton pleaded guilty to producing a class B drug when he appeared before magistrates in Medway.

Alan Balneaves, defending, said: “It never reached maturity and was for his own personal use.

“He has now realised smoking drugs is not a good pastime.”

The court heard Atherton was already on a suspended sentence for driving while disqualified.

Magistrates decided not to jail Atherton because of his early guilty plea and gave him a 90-day suspended sentence for 12 months, which will run alongside the earlier sentence.

He was placed under curfew for three months, fined £100 for breaching the first sentence and ordered to pay £85 court costs.