Former Shameless star Jody Latham escapes jail for growing cannabis

 
Tears: Jody Latham
Peter Byrne/PA Wire
17 December 2012
WEST END FINAL

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Former Shameless and EastEnders actor Jody Latham burst into tears today as he was spared a jail sentence for growing cannabis behind the partitioned wall of a garage.

Latham, 29, who recently dated the X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos, started crying in the dock as he was told by a judge that his "sophisticated" production of the drug could only warrant a prison term.

His tears of anguish turned to relief though when he learned the 12-month sentence would be suspended for two years.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Burnley Crown Court to production of cannabis between March and May last year.

Police seized 24 plants at a former girlfriend's home in Stacksteads, Lancashire, as tests later showed 16 of the plants had matured and were capable of being sold for up to £9,000.

Habitual cannabis user Latham told the court he grew the plants because he was worried that buying from dealers would attract attention with his celebrity status.

Judge Beverley Lunt told him the simple solution was not to buy cannabis in the first place.

She warned him he would be brought before her if he committed another offence and he would then lose his liberty.

"I hope this will you deter you from offending and make you give up this drug," she said.

Latham, who found fame when he played Philip "Lip" Gallagher in Channel 4's Shameless and later as pimp Rob Grayson in the BBC1 soap EastEnders, has a number of previous convictions, including two cautions for offences involving cannabis.

In 2006 he was cautioned for possession and in 2007 he was similarly cautioned for cannabis production on the Isle of Man.

He was convicted of assault in 2003 and for using threatening words or behaviour in 2007 and 2010.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said the Crown was prepared to concede that on the evidence the defendant's production at the address in Acre Park, Stacksteads, was "capable of being used to supply to friends and nothing more".

She said police received a report of a disturbance at the house on the evening of May 13 last year and then were later told Latham had allegedly assaulted his then girlfriend, mother-of-three Sarah Melia.

Further inquiries found Latham in a drunken state in the street and he was arrested on suspicion of assault, although Melia later told police she not wish to make a complaint.

Police uncovered the small cannabis factory when they searched the house.

Miss Statham said: "It was a relatively sophisticated production set up with timers and lighting equipment.

"An officer also stated there was hydroponic equipment as well."

Melia, 31, of Cotman Close, Bacup, admitted, at an earlier hearing, permitting the drug to be produced.

Wayne Jackson, defending Latham, of Market Street, Bacup, said his client had invested £1,500 for the growing of the cannabis but it was not as a business.

"He accepts he has been a very foolish young man bearing in mind he has a very promising career ahead of him," he said.

"I met Latham a number of years ago in Bradford. He was a very calm, collected young man.

"The young man I saw here today is a sharp contrast to that."

On his own admission Latham had been smoking cannabis "on and off" since he was 16.

He knew he had a problem that needed to be addressed and he was due to attend The Priory clinic at the weekend as an outpatient, Latham was "fearful" of a prison sentence as he knew that future work in his career could dry up as a result, said Mr Jackson.

A large number of testimonials were handed to Judge Lunt.

Mr Jackson said: "What people say about him is that he is a decent man at the core. He needs to tap into that decency and try to put all this behind him and live a law-abiding lifestyle.

"He is a young man with great potential. It is about time that he realised that."

Latham was also ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Melia, who has no previous convictions or cautions, was given a 12-month community order and told to perform 40 hours of work.

The judge told her she had a responsibility for her children who lived in the house at the time, and had acted under the influence of Latham and out of "a sense of misguided loyalty".

Judge Lunt told her she was quite satisfied she would not be before the courts again.

Latham, who found fame when he played Philip "Lip" Gallagher in Channel 4's Shameless and later as pimp Rob Grayson in the BBC1 soap EastEnders, has a number of previous convictions, including two cautions for offences involving cannabis.

In 2006 he was cautioned for possession and in 2007 he was similarly cautioned for cannabis production on the Isle of Man.

He was convicted of assault in 2003 and for using threatening words or behaviour in 2007 and 2010.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said the Crown was prepared to concede that on the evidence the defendant's production at the address in Acre Park, Stacksteads, was "capable of being used to supply to friends and nothing more".

She said police received a report of a disturbance at the house on the evening of May 13 last year and then were later told Latham had allegedly assaulted his then girlfriend, mother-of-three Sarah Melia.

Further inquiries found Latham in a drunken state in the street and he was arrested on suspicion of assault, although Melia later told police she not wish to make a complaint.

Police uncovered the small cannabis factory when they searched the house.

Miss Statham said: "It was a relatively sophisticated production set up with timers and lighting equipment.

"An officer also stated there was hydroponic equipment as well."

Melia, 31, of Cotman Close, Bacup, admitted, at an earlier hearing, permitting the drug to be produced.

Wayne Jackson, defending Latham, of Market Street, Bacup, said his client had invested £1,500 for the growing of the cannabis but it was not as a business.

"He accepts he has been a very foolish young man bearing in mind he has a very promising career ahead of him," he said.

"I met Latham a number of years ago in Bradford. He was a very calm, collected young man.

"The young man I saw here today is a sharp contrast to that."

On his own admission Latham had been smoking cannabis "on and off" since he was 16.

He knew he had a problem that needed to be addressed and he was due to attend The Priory clinic at the weekend as an outpatient, Latham was "fearful" of a prison sentence as he knew that future work in his career could dry up as a result, said Mr Jackson.

A large number of testimonials were handed to Judge Lunt.

Mr Jackson said: "What people say about him is that he is a decent man at the core. He needs to tap into that decency and try to put all this behind him and live a law-abiding lifestyle.

"He is a young man with great potential. It is about time that he realised that."

Latham was also ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Melia, who has no previous convictions or cautions, was given a 12-month community order and told to perform 40 hours of work.

The judge told her she had a responsibility for her children who lived in the house at the time, and had acted under the influence of Latham and out of "a sense of misguided loyalty".

Judge Lunt told her she was quite satisfied she would not be before the courts again.

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