A SILSDEN businessman is behind bars after police discovered a £47,000 cannabis farm at his home.

Ian Cartmel was caught growing 5.5kgs of skunk cannabis that could have been turned into 1,500 street deals, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

He had never been in trouble before and had since worked hard to get his life back on track, the court was told.

Judge Jonathan Rose said it was a troubling case and sent Cartmel, who was on bail, to prison for a week to give the matter further thought.

He was arrested when a police officer smelled cannabis after he called at his home at Beck House on December 21 last year.

Cartmel, 40, pleaded guilty to production of the Class B drug and was committed to the crown court by Bradford and Keighley magistrates.

Prosecutor Duncan Ritchie said it was a substantial commercial cannabis factory, with the attic, basement and a bedroom given over to cultivation of about 123 plants.

Growing equipment seized included foil wall linings and high powered lighting.

There were 66 flowering plants in the attic and 57 others in the bedroom and cellar, along with evidence of a previously harvested crop.

"This was intended for future supply on a substantial scale," Mr Ritchie said.

Cartmel's solicitor advocate, Nigel Jamieson, conceded he had minimised the extent of his offending to his probation officer.

He was growing the cannabis crop for money after suffering problems in his personal and professional life.

Cartmel was of previous good character and he was now running a successful business.

He planned to sell on the cannabis wholesale in one deal to someone he declined to name to the police.

"He had not given complete thought to what his benefit would be," Mr Jamieson said.

Cartmel sought solace in alcohol and cannabis after the break-up of a relationship.

He had worked hard since his arrest to sort out his life.

"He has, in the past nine months, dealt with the demons that were there," Mr Jamieson told the court.

He urged the judge to suspend any sentence of imprisonment after handing in three references and a letter from Cartmel's doctor.

Judge Rose said the legal guidelines indicated that Cartmel should go to jail but he had no previous convictions and he had made strenuous efforts to get his life back on track.