A delivery driver wept in the dock at Bradford Crown Court when he was jailed for setting up and running a £40,000 cannabis farm at his home.

Robert Poole, 32, had never been in trouble with the police when he was caught red-handed nurturing his illegal crop.

Poole, of Newark Street, East Bowling , Bradford, broke down in tears when he was locked up for 21 months yesterday.

The judge gave him time to sit and compose himself before he was escorted down to the cells.

Poole pleaded guilty to production of cannabis on April 29. He told the police the plants were for his own use but then conceded he intended to sell some of the crop.

Prosecutor Emma Downing said police went to Poole’s home after being alerted by several neighbours who had smelled cannabis and heard a buzzing noise coming from the property.

They seized plants of different sizes, that would have matured at various times, from bedrooms at the three-storey property. Some were in tents in a wardrobe.

Poole had set up lighting and fans and bought bags of food for his crop.

Hidden behind the television set was a box containing dried cannabis, plastic bags and scales.

Miss Downing said the total potential yield from the farm was 4.4 kilos, with a street value of almost £40,000.

Poole’s barrister, Manisha Singh, said he had been a cannabis user since he was 18.

Personal problems had driven him to need more recently and he decided to grow his own because he did not like having to go to dealers.

He was so successful at nurturing the crop that he intended to sell some. It was a stupid mistake that he bitterly regretted.

Judge Jonathan Rose described the cannabis farm as “an extensive set-up”.