A MAN caught fleeing after seeing police raid his home has been jailed.

Robert Archer ran off when he realised officers from Hampshire Constabulary had entered his home on Pollards Moor Road, Copythorne, knowing they were about to discover two cannabis plants he had been growing.

Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard that the 26-year-old had been producing the drugs inside one of the premises’ cupboards and that officers seized equipment from the room.

Prosecutor Liam Hunter told the court police had been visiting Archer in relation to another matter when they “detected the strong smell of the drug”.

Archer was returning back to the house when he saw the police’s presence and ran, but was caught quickly.

The court heard Archer was also appearing in court charged with other offences, including driving whilst disqualified and without third party insurance.

Mr Hunter said: “Officers saw Archer driving on the M25, in Surrey, and ran a check on the car. It showed that Archer was disqualified and had no insurance.”

Archer was disqualified originally from driving in 2013, for non-compliance matters.

Barry Keele, mitigating, explained Archer had a longstanding issue with heroin, and said the cannabis grown in his home was for his own personal use.

He added that despite his efforts to stop using drugs, Archer had “failed to get on top of it”.

Archer pleaded guilty to producing cannabis, commissioning an offence while under a suspended sentence, driving whilst disqualified, and driving without insurance.

Archer was sentenced to 20 weeks imprisonment and disqualified from driving for two years.

He was ordered to pay £85 costs and £115 victim surcharge.