A jobless man told a court that he learned to grow cannabis plants from the Internet.

Leigh Hiscocks, of Grove Street, Banbury, pleaded guilty at Banbury magistrates' court to three offences one of cultivating cannabis and two of possessing the drug.

The court heard that police raided Hiscocks's home on August 23 and found a total of 42 cannabis plants growing in an outhouse and in the basement.

Hydroponics equipment used to grow the plants without soil was also found in the basement. Abigail Nixon, prosecuting, said that other residents in the house were arrested during the raid but released without charge.

She said: Hiscocks told police he was going to cut the plants down in five weeks' time. He said he learned to grow them from the Internet.

Satyanam Singh, defending, said Hiscocks was an occasional recreational user of the drug and there was no suggestion that he was growing the plants for commercial use. Hiscocks, 37, was described as unemployed but hoping to starting work again soon for a former employer. He was remanded on unconditional bail for pre-sentence reports. He will appear in court again on September 27.