Allan Thomas Hodson, 60, of Trunkey Street, Newbridge appeared in Bathurst Local court before magistrate Michael Allen on June 5.

The court heard Hodson had an elaborate hydroponic set-up in his backyard sheds, discovered when police executed a search warrant on his property.

Officers who executed the search warrant on February 21, 2017 said they found two grams of cannabis in a glass jar in a kitchen cupboard, which the accused indicated was for his personal use.

Police then searched a free-standing garden shed. Inside one cupboard they found seven small cannabis plants that had their root systems attached.

Hodson told police he was growing the plants and when they were big enough he was going to move them to the next shed and continue to cultivate them.

Police entered the second shed where they found an elaborate hydroponic set-up spread across four different rooms. Police located 32 medium cannabis plants 30cm in height and a further eight small cannabis plants (10cm in height). All had root systems attached.

In the third room police found a sophisticated hydroponic set-up including seven electricity transformers.

Police seized 36 large cannabis plants over one metre tall and in a fourth room they found similar evidence of a further 17 cannabis plants, though their root systems had died and the buckets had been tipped out.

In relation to the electricity, the accused admitted to deliberately bypassing the electricity meter and stealing electricity to power the hydroponic set-up.

Hodson told police he had originally grown cannabis for his personal use due to back pain, but got greedy and wanted a bigger crop.

He also made admissions to supplying cannabis to patrons at the Newbridge Hotel, as well as people who came to the house.

The first charge, possessing a prohibited drug, was dealt with by way of a Section 10A conviction.

For cultivating a prohibited plant, Hodson was imprisoned 14 months, wholly suspended under Section 12.

For using/consuming electricity without authority he was imprisoned for seven months, wholly suspended under Section 12.

For supplying prohibited drug he was jailed for 14 months, wholly suspended under Section 12.