A Scots foster carer who has looked after more than 400 children was caught with a £6000 cannabis farm in her garage.
Elizabeth Marshall started growing ten plants for her personal use in what her lawyer described as “lockdown madness”.
The 62-year-old set up the hydroponic system to grow the Class B drug and a court heard she became “quite good at it”.
But her cultivation was busted after a blaze broke out nearby and firefighters checked the garage next to her Midlothian home.
Marshall, who had been a foster carer for 33 years, immediately resigned from the role with the local authority following her arrest.
She appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday and pled guilty to a charge of producing cannabis.
Fiscal depute Sanah Idrees said police were called by firefighters at around 4.20pm on October 17 last year.
Ms Idress said officers were told a fire had broken out near a garage in Penicuik and cannabis plants had been discovered inside.
The plants were in a “large tent”, she said, and the growing equipment included air filters, fans, lights, and a water pump.
Marshall was arrested, the court was told, and made no reply during her interview.
The prosecutor said the cultivation was valued at up to £6000.
Defence agent Murray Robertson said his client had “never been in any form of trouble in her…
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A Scots foster carer who has looked after more than 400 children was caught with a £6000 cannabis farm in her garage.
Elizabeth Marshall started growing ten plants for her personal use in what her lawyer described as “lockdown madness”.
The 62-year-old set up the hydroponic system to grow the Class B drug and a court heard she became “quite good at it”.
But her cultivation was busted after a blaze broke out nearby and firefighters checked the garage next to her Midlothian home.
Marshall, who had been a foster carer for 33 years, immediately resigned from the role with the local authority following her arrest.
She appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday and pled guilty to a charge of producing cannabis.
Fiscal depute Sanah Idrees said police were called by firefighters at around 4.20pm on October 17 last year.
Ms Idress said officers were told a fire had broken out near a garage in Penicuik and cannabis plants had been discovered inside.
The plants were in a “large tent”, she said, and the growing equipment included air filters, fans, lights, and a water pump.
Marshall was arrested, the court was told, and made no reply during her interview.
The prosecutor said the cultivation was valued at up to £6000.
Defence agent Murray Robertson said his client had “never been in any form of trouble in her…