A RACEHORSE trainer jailed for growing and selling cannabis to repay a loan shark debt should have sought professional help, an expert has said.

Police found 199 plants at Calke Abbey Racing Stables, in Boundary, near Swadlincote, which is the home and business of Robert Woods.

Sonal Ahya, prosecuting at Derby Crown Court, said the plants unearthed during the raid, on July 9 had a potential street value of £28,000.

Woods, who admitted producing and supplying the drug, said he made about £400 each week, which he was using to pay debts of £183,000.

The 55-year-old was given a 21-month prison sentence.

Steve Ward, who works for Derby City Council Trading Standards, said after the hearing that Woods should have sought advice.

Mr Ward works for the East Midlands Public Protection Project Team, which investigates and prosecutes illegal loan sharks in the region.

He said: "This guy has got himself into all sorts of issues. The problem is there's a temptation to borrow money from loan sharks to pay off creditors. That's not the way forward.

"The first port of call is to get some sensible money advice from a body like the Citizens' Advice Bureau. They can help people sort out a management plan.

"We run a 24-hour helpline for people who are victims of loan sharks. If people call, one of our investigators will take their case on board.

"Any contract with an illegal loan shark is not valid as it is an illegal form of borrowing. Therefore they cannot take people to the small claims court.

"We can prosecute loan sharks but we need information from the public."

Mr Ward urged people who might be tempted to turn to a loan shark because of the credit crunch to think again.

"It is harder to borrow money than it was two years ago, when banks were throwing money at us," he said.

"But these people are criminals and it's almost impossible to say no when they want their money back with interest."

Ms Ahya told the court that the cannabis plants, found in three separate rooms, were Woods' second crop in 12 months after an earlier unsuccessful attempt.

Avik Mukherjee, for Woods, said his client had sold cannabis to people he knew who were recreational users of the drug.

He said: "Mr Woods has made two very significant mistakes that are going to impact on himself and his family.

"The first was to take out finance from a loan shark. He has had his fingers well and truly burnt.

"The second and more fundamental was to commit these offences in the short-sighted hope that it would be able to alleviate his financial problems.

"In fact, all Mr Woods has done is to make his and his family's problems worse than they already were."

Mr Mukherjee said Woods had committed the crime for "need rather than greed", while Judge William Everard called the operation a professional cultivation.

Woods must pay back £21,100 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.