A couple who supplied thousands of bars of chocolate laced with cannabis to ease the pain of multiple sclerosis sufferers escaped jail yesterday.

Lezley and Mark Gibson, both 42, got nine-month jail sentences, suspended for two years, after being found guilty at Carlisle crown court of conspiring to supply the class C drug. Marcus Davies, 36, who ran a PO box and website for their organisation, received the same sentence.

Judge John Phillips accepted that their motives were "altruistic", but said they had no defence for their "sophisticated" scheme which involved making and distributing up to 100 bars a week from their home in Alston, Cumbria.

"In the case against Mr Gibson I accept that he believed he was correct in what he was doing and that there was no profit," said the judge. "In the case of Mrs Gibson her motive was altruistic and unfortunately she already suffers from MS."

The couple began making the bars after Mrs Gibson found that cannabis greatly improved her condition. She was diagnosed with MS in 1985, but defied predictions that she would be in a wheelchair within five years. They sent free bars to more than 1,600 people - almost 2% of MS sufferers in the country. Police raided their home in 2005 after a bag of the bars spilled open in a sorting office.

Greeted with cheers from supporters after the case, the couple said they were disappointed with the sentence and would appeal against it. They were concerned they could be jailed if Mr Gibson helped his wife to continue taking cannabis.

"This is not a fair sentence. How can it be wrong to help sick people by giving them something that helps them?" said Mrs Gibson. "I cannot not use cannabis. I'm not prepared to be incontinent and in a wheelchair. I'm afraid I'll still be doing what I shouldn't be doing."

She was proud of helping other MS sufferers. Mr Gibson called for an amnesty for medicinal users of cannabis.