A MAN who grew cannabis at his grandmother’s house has been told by the courts to pay £10,500 within six months under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Mark MacAulay previously pled guilty to cultivating the plant at his late grandmother’s home in Shotts.

The 38-year-old has since been slapped with a Confiscation Order by the courts.

Police searched the property in April, 2014 following an intelligence-led operation.

They seized 1227g of the drug as well as eight cannabis plants and paraphernalia associated with drug cultivation.

When questioned, MacAulay immediately confirmed to police that the items belonged to him.

MacAulay claimed the house shouldn’t be included as part of the Confiscation Order as he did not own it.

But it was successfully argued that, as he had been living there and paying the mortgage, so it could be included in the order.

Lindsey Miller, Procurator Fiscal for Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism, said: “It is becoming increasingly difficult for criminals in Scotland to hide their ill-gotten gains from scrutiny by our financial investigators.

“We seek to confiscate all illegal profits, no matter where these may be concealed."

MacAulay pled guilty to contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Act  on May 2, 2014 at Hamilton Sheriff Court.

The Crown Prosecution Service say MacAulay was sentenced to eight months imprisonment and confiscation proceedings were thereafter initiated to recover the funds he made from his criminal conduct.