A LLANDRINOD Wells man has seen his community punishment extended after he failed to attend two unpaid work sessions.

Shaka Moon Wedge, 31, received the 12-month community order, which included 70 hours of unpaid work, last August, after firefighters accidentally discovered a cannabis growing operation at his flat after he’d left the water running in his kitchen, which led to a flood in his building.

At Llandrindod Wells Magistrates’ Court last week, Wedge admitted breaching the community order on two occasions. The court, sitting on Wednesday, July 6, was told Wedge failed to attend two unpaid work appointments, on March 27 and May 15 this year, and had failed to provide acceptable evidence of his absence within 5 working days.

Probation officer Donna Davies told the court Wedge, of Temple Street, Llandrindod, said she was aware the defendant had childcare issues and recommended a 3-6-month extension of the order.

“In a June phone appointment, Mr Wedge informed us he’d just started a new job and he had his son every weekend,” said Ms Davies.

“He was told he needed to provide evidence of this. His ex-partner emailed us saying he has access to his child every weekend.”

Gareth Walters, acting for Wedge, said: “He works at a sawmill as an operator. He works 5 days a week then has his son on weekends so the order might become unworkable.

“Last year he didn’t have a job. I appreciate the order has to be completed but if he was able to book a week off work and complete his order he’d do that; unfortunately it’s not possible do that on this order as days are only available at weekends.”

Magistrates agreed to extend the order for 6 months and they also ordered Wedge to pay a £120 fine and £60 costs.

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The original offence Wedge was sentenced for related to a cannabis operation that was discovered at his flat in April, 2021.

Firefighters were forced to burst into his home on April 13 after receiving a report about a flood at a block of flats in the town.

Upon arrival they discovered the flood had been caused by a tap being left on in the kitchen sink at Wedge’s home, which had caused water to flood into the flat below. While investigating, they noticed a large tent set up in the living room and called police when they found cannabis plants and equipment used for growing the drug inside the tent.

Wedge admitted producing the Class B drug at Llandrindod Magistrates Court on Wednesday, August 4, 2021.

Prosecutor Kevin Challinor said the defendant was in the early stages of growing eight cannabis plants. Police found plants in pots, as well as a thermometer unit, cannabis seeds, a pipe structure, a ventilation system, as well as a heat lamp; paraphernalia associated with cannabis cultivation.

He told police he was attempting to grow the cannabis seeds for his own personal use.