A WOMAN who denied producing drugs and claimed she was only growing 'medical cannabis' has been convicted.
Sentencing, a court judge told Michelle X today that she should apply to the National Health Service to be considered for a licence for a cannabis-based medicine.
The 52-year-old of Lammas Close, Abingdon - who suffers with Multiple Sclerosis - had denied two counts alleging the production of a drug of class B.
After four hours and four minutes a jury at Oxford Crown Court found her guilty by a unanimous verdict of both counts.
READ AGAIN: The opening of the case this week.
Presiding Judge Ian Pringle QC proceeded straight to sentence X and she was handed a conditional discharge for six months for each offence.
Addressing X he went on to recommend that she apply to the NHS to take Sativex - a cannabis-based medicine used to treat MS.
He said: "The reality is that the law on cannabis is unlikely to change in the immediate future, or even the medium-term future.
"If you continue to grow your own you are going to be arrested and prosecuted again."
Judge Pringle went on to tell her of the possibility of being prescribed the drug to help with her ailments and recommended that she apply.
He added: "But you do have to understand [if you re-offend] you will continue to be arrested and brought before the courts and the punishments will be greater."
During the three-day trial which began on Wednesday prosecutor Ian Ball told jurors that police had found cannabis at her home on two separate visits.
READ AGAIN: Woman fighting cannabis court case tells jury 'I am way ahead of my time'.
The first, he said, took place on July 16, 2018 and the second on December 9, 2018.
X was interviewed by police following each incident.
During the first police interview she said she ‘couldn’t walk’ without the drug and told officers: “I am not going to stop, if you insist on me stopping I will be in prison.
“It is an unjust law that needs changing, I will leave that to the experts.”
From the witness box on Tuesday she gave her version of events.
She denied that the substances grown at her home were cannabis and called them 'medical cannabis.' Explaining the difference between the two she should it was like 'between lager and moonshine.'
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