By Sadie Bass

Jul 9, 2009 10:14am

Harry Potter Star Charged With Growing Pot

ABC's Ammu Kannampilly reports from London: Harry Potter star Jamie Waylett has been charged in London with growing ten cannabis plants at home.
A Metropolitan police spokeswoman told ABC News that the 19-year-old actor, who plays bully Vincent Crabbe in the Harry Potter films, “is charged with producing a Class B drug, namely ten plants of cannabis.” She added that Waylett will appear in court on the 16th of this month.   Cops first arrested the young actor in April, when his car was stopped in London, and police reportedly found eight bags of cannabis. They then searched his mother’s home in Camden, north London, where they found the cannabis plants – valued at more than $3000 according to the British newspaper, the Daily Telegraph. The police spokeswoman would not reveal any more details about the case history.
Waylett could face up to 14 years behind bars for producing cannabis. Under British law, anyone found guilty of cannabis possession can face up to 5 years in jail. According to Waylett’s official Web site, his “acting career started in a fairy-tale way. He was 10 years old, sitting in a classroom in Emmanuel Primary School in London, when a casting agent arrived to take pictures for the Harry Potter films.” After a few auditions, “he was sent in to speak with Chris Columbus. Chris said 'Act sad, act happy, do this, do that,' and then, 'Just give us a nice shout and you’ve got the part.'” Waylett lists mixing music, “drawing, watching DVDs, Playstation games, painting and riding his bike” among his interests – unsurprisingly the Web site makes no mention of dabbling in drugs or the recent charges against the actor, who will celebrate his 20th birthday later this month.

User Comments

When we will grow up? If someone wants to smoke a joint, so what? Legalize it for gods sake. So stupid.

Posted by: wired-up | July 9, 2009, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm

Cannabis was first demonized by William Randolph Hearst because he was afraid of hemp taking over as the prime source of paper and other products typically made from wood. Hearst was a lumber tycoon and used his newspapers and publications to put fear in the hearts of American parents. Like most things, follow the money trail.

Posted by: wired-up | July 9, 2009, 1:19 pm 1:19 pm

Let him pay a fine and leave him alone. Yep, he is a real criminal alright. When is the government going to realize that by legalizing pot, they can make money? Save the police force for real crimes.

Posted by: LBW | July 9, 2009, 3:10 pm 3:10 pm

give the guy a break,he obviously was using it to keep the weight on for his role as “the bully”

Posted by: Maxi | July 9, 2009, 3:14 pm 3:14 pm

Let there be life, let there be pot… let the happy people smoke it in peace…

Posted by: Benjalamelami | July 9, 2009, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm

How much time did the Rulers in England get when they tried to turn China into Opium Addicts? If Kings and Rulers try to get you addicted its OK but let some kid smoke a joint and its away with him!

Posted by: ginsengjohn | July 9, 2009, 4:28 pm 4:28 pm

Now, isn’t it just like Crabbe to get into this sort of trouble, and in this way? (Just kidding, guys!)

Posted by: Robert Bethune | July 9, 2009, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm

MAN OH MAN IN NEW IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED HARRY POT HEAD

Posted by: STORMIE | July 9, 2009, 5:57 pm 5:57 pm

SO WHAT A LITTLE POT WHO CARES BESIDES THE GOVERMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT CASHING IN IF THE GOVERMENT MADE POT LEGAL IT WOULD PRETTY MUCH TAKE CARE OF THE WORLD DEBT JUST HARSHER PENALTIES ON THE BLACKMARKET CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT BIG NAMES WOULD COME OUT OF THE WOOD WORK?

Posted by: mark jackett | July 9, 2009, 6:36 pm 6:36 pm

If it were finally legalized in the world, just like in Holland, the governments would make from taxation sufficient funds to resolve a big portion of the world financial crisis – and the $11BILLION spent in the US alone in pursuing pot smoking ‘criminals’, would be the ultimate bonus dedicated to law enforcement – let’s stop crime, not kids with an agricultural hobby that promotes well being.

Posted by: gb | July 9, 2009, 8:22 pm 8:22 pm

Only in America is this still news worthy. Just legalize it.

Posted by: steve3589337 | July 9, 2009, 10:52 pm 10:52 pm

Big deal, pot should be legal everyware. So much of the national debt would magically disapear. If this kid goes to jail those who sent him there are the true criminals

Posted by: gael | July 10, 2009, 1:40 am 1:40 am

oops! I mean everywhere…what am I high?!

Posted by: gael | July 10, 2009, 1:45 am 1:45 am

I guess now he will be called “Harry Potter”.

Posted by: G | July 10, 2009, 8:06 am 8:06 am

This is so dumb, jail time for gardening. Who is this really hurting? When the law is truth instead of the truth being law, things are headed downhill fast.

Posted by: James | July 10, 2009, 6:30 pm 6:30 pm

he’s an actor and famous he will get off with a slap on the wrist they all do now he might not be in the last movie but he will get off most likely

Posted by: amber | July 12, 2009, 12:41 am 12:41 am

You guys are all idiots. Some things are more important than money! Pot kills brain cells, can lower your IQ, and despite what people say, you CAN become addicted to it. What good comes from using it? A five minute “high” that does nothing after it’s over? Smoking anything is NOT good for your body! Using pot can lead to using harder drugs, which no good can come from. Just think about what you are saying when you say you want pot legalized. Do you even understand? No, probably not, since it seems like all you care about is drugs. It is possible to be happy without inhaling toxins. Good day.

Posted by: Allie | July 12, 2009, 1:18 pm 1:18 pm

The highs aren’t 5 minutes “Allie”.
Pot’s not physicaaly addicting.
Pot is not a gateway drug as you just implied.
And pot doesnt lower IQ’s. If a person’s IQ was low to begin with, thats a different story.
Do your research before trying to act smart, good day.

Posted by: newYORK | July 12, 2009, 4:30 pm 4:30 pm

I’m with alley. we might as well legalize cocaine.. heroine,, hard drugs cause thats where people go when they start with marijuana. I “had” a friend once whom I knew started changing personality very abruptly and I found out he was doing marijuana. do life not drugs. anything that damages body damages the mind. I hate to see this boy already ruining his life. Michael Jackson is a good example they said he had a lot of drugs too. Drugs don’t make you happy they just are a temp fix

Posted by: Unityspirit | July 13, 2009, 3:10 pm 3:10 pm

Pot is proven to be addictive and to cause paranoia and prolonged use causes brain damage. There are some openings for it being used medically, but use as a recreational drug is dangerous. It does nothing for anyone’s “well being”, it’s just a quick high that causes nothing but lows after.

Posted by: JJ | July 14, 2009, 4:54 am 4:54 am

I fail to understand why alcohol is legal while marijuana is not. Any argument presented in support of alcohol could easily be used to justify the legalization of pot, and any argument against marijuana could easily be used to justify the banning of alcohol. With, perhaps, the exception that alcohol is currently taxed.

Posted by: James Robert W | July 14, 2009, 5:37 am 5:37 am

Everything is addictive. Anything can cause brain damage. MANY people don’t just use cannabis to get high for 5 minutes. Many people find it an effective alternative to deal with everyday anxiety. People should learn to control themselves and with pot being illegal it takes the control away from people and puts the burden on the plant. I think pot should be legal and I believe it is less dangerous than alchohol. Making things illegal only increases the want for people to use.

Posted by: Mark | July 16, 2009, 7:19 pm 7:19 pm

There is basically no education or good systems in helping people with drug addiction. I bet if they put funding into better substance abuse programs and legalized pot they would find that the world would be a better place. Pot is so bad, but drinking alchohol is fine…doesn’t make sense to me.

Posted by: Mark | July 16, 2009, 7:23 pm 7:23 pm

Why don’t the police in UK concentrate on tracking down terrorists who plant bombs on subway trains and leave innocent kids like Crabbe alone?

Posted by: Ken Sokolow | July 20, 2009, 9:18 am 9:18 am

There’s a middle way between the two extremes of pothead-baiting temperance and smoking dope like a Rastafarian chimney. A little toke will smooth you out just like a glass of wine once in a while, big deal. (You don’t need 12 plants in your mama’s house or 8 bags in your car, either.)

Posted by: Leishalynn | July 24, 2009, 3:52 pm 3:52 pm

He was sentenced to 120 hours of community service – serves him right!

Posted by: Someone | August 1, 2009, 3:43 am 3:43 am

Leave a Reply

Do you have more information about this topic? If so, please click here to contact the editors of ABC News.