Friday, 8 April 2016

Judge goes easy on cannabis grower who used the drug for his chronic arthritis pain because ‘he saw a similar story on Coronation Street’


  • Police seized cannabis from Sean Alex Langshaw's home in Huddersfield
  • Langshaw told police drug was grown to help relieve his chronic arthritis
  • Recorder Paul Isaac noted that Corrie was running an equivalent storyline
A Huddersfield man who admitted using cannabis for pain relief was given a sympathetic hearing at Leeds Crown Court by a judge who said he had been watching the similar story line on Coronation Street.

Recorder Paul Isaac heard police seized cannabis and 12 immature plants growing in a top-floor room at Sean Alex Langshaw's home in Wood Terrace, Primrose Hill, Huddersfield on November 19 last year.

When he was interviewed Langshaw told police the drug was for his own personal consumption to relieve his chronic arthritis.

Police seized cannabis and 12 immature plants growing in a top-floor room at the home of Sean Alex Langshaw, pictured
Police seized cannabis and 12 immature plants growing in a top-floor room at the home of Sean Alex Langshaw, pictured
Recorder Isaac referenced a current Corrie storyline in which Izzy, played by Cherylee Houston and pictured left, has started using cannabis to help relieve her pain after dislocating her hip
Recorder Isaac referenced a current Corrie storyline in which Izzy, played by Cherylee Houston and pictured left, has started using cannabis to help relieve her pain after dislocating her hip

Recorder Isaac said there was a very similar story line going on in the soap at the moment.

Wheelchair-bound Izzy has started using cannabis to help relieve her pain from a dislocated hip after she said her prescription medication was not helping.

Chloe Hudson, representing Langshaw, submitted a letter from his GP outlining his medical condition.
The court heard Langshaw, 45, had told a probation officer he realised in making the choice he had he had placed himself in difficulties with the law.

Langshaw, who admitted producing cannabis, was given a conditional discharge for a year.

Recorder Isaac told him: 'It puts courts in a terribly difficult position because on one hand anybody reading your medical state could not fail to be entirely sympathetic.
Cherylee Houston attending this year's National Television Awards
Stock image of a cannabis plant
Langshaw told police the cannabis, a stock image of which is shown right, was for his own personal consumption to relieve his pain, mirroring the dilemma of Corrie's Izzy, played by Cherylee Houston, left

'It is a criticism of our society that in order to alleviate your pain you can't get something from your GP but he says he cannot help you to the same extent you gain relief from cannabis.

'I can't encourage you to break the law I can only follow the law, which says you must not grow it or be in possession of it.

'I sentence you on the basis this grow was entirely for your own use and there was no question of you sharing it with anybody else or taking it for any other reason than to alleviate your symptoms and disabilities.'

He warned Langshaw that others might have taken a different view.

he court heard Langshaw, 45, had told a probation officer he realised in making the choice he had he had placed himself in difficulties with the law 
he court heard Langshaw, 45, had told a probation officer he realised in making the choice he had he had placed himself in difficulties with the law 

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