A cannabis addict was so desperate for cash that he stole lead flashing from his own roof, a court heard yesterday.

Tony Lloyd stole lead from various buildings with the intention of selling it for 60 pence a kilo at a scrapyard.

At Bristol Magistrates' Court he pleaded guilty to stealing lead from a garage roof in Wick Road, Brislington on May 17.

He admitted stealing pipes belonging to Bristol Water from Barrow Tanks reservoirs in Barrow Gurney on February 28, 2008, and to growing 25 cannabis plants in his home in May.

He also admitted to two charges of failing to appear at court for those offences, on June 6, 2009, and August 11, 2008.

Lloyd asked for the offence of stealing lead cladding from his rented flat in Wick Road to be taken into consideration and a theft of lead from Diamond Pet Shop in the same road.

Lloyd, 27, who now lives with his parents in Fulford Road, Hartcliffe, was given a 12-month community order and ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid work. He also has to pay £250 in compensation to the owner of the garage he stole lead from, and £100 to Bristol Water for the stolen pipes.

The court heard that on May 17 this year Lloyd was seen on the flat roof of Wick Road Garage ripping sections of roofing material and throwing it to the ground, before taking it home.

Huw Rogers, prosecuting, said police were called and found the lead in his home.

He said: "They then found 25 small cannabis plants.

"He said he was growing cannabis for his own use – he said he had 40 plants but that the rest had died."

Mr Rogers told the court that Lloyd had hoped to sell the lead for 60 pence a kilo at a scrapyard.

On February 28, 2008, the court heard that Lloyd and two others drove to the Barrow Gurney reservoirs and loaded three seven-foot long pipes, worth £300, onto their truck, with a combined weight of one tonne.

They then sold the pipes to a recyclers J B Pearce in Dundry for £135, but were later stopped by police and arrested.

Anna Van Wely, defending, said: "When Mr Lloyd was living in Wick Road, he used to be able to look out of his window and see the flat roof with lead strips.

"He decided to go out and try to get hold of it."

She added: "His cannabis production was very amateur production. There were 25 very small seedlings, about one inch high."

She asked the magistrates to consider Lloyd's early guilty plea and said: "This is a man who is now showing some signs of maturity, and living with his family."