A CONTROVERSIAL farmer in Colne is set to face a crown court judge after being caught growing cannabis.

John Leslie Allison, who runs Hubbs House Farm, in Southfield Lane, was arrested by police for growing the drug in April.

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The 70-year-old has now appeared before Pennine Magistrates Court at Burnley, where he pleaded guilty to producing nine six-inch high plants.

Last year he confessed to allowing a £20,000 cannabis farm to be run from two bedrooms at his property.

And he was given a six-month suspended prison sentence by Judge Andrew Woolman after pleading guilty to permitting premises to be used for producing cannabis.

Allison, in his latest court appearance, also admitted breaching the terms of his suspended sentence.

He was bailed by magistrates to be dealt with for both of the current offences at Burnley Crown Court on September 19.

The court date is the latest in a string of criminal and civil offences involving Allison and the farm, which overlooks Colne town centre.

He was prosecuted by the Environment Agency, also last year, under the Clean Air Act for burning waste at Hubbs House, which sent large black plumes of smoke billowing across the town.

Allison was conditionally discharged by Pennine magistrates after he admitted to burning tractor tyres, plastics and boarding on land there between November 2014 and February 2015.

And his dairy business, which saw him keep up to 50 cows on his land at one point, was shut down several years ago after a joint Food Standards Agency and Pendle Council investigation.

Dirt and mould deposits were found on stainless steel milk storage tanks, attachments for pumping the milk were found to be rusty and there were several holes in the roof and floor.

He was fined £1,700, again by Pennine magistrates, after being convicted of breaching 14 food hygiene regulations, and another three concerning animal welfare.

Councillors sitting on the Colne area committee has also been running regular reviews of the state of the land, after concerns were expressed about waste being dumped there.

Cllr Dorothy Lord, who represents the town’s Waterside ward, said: “We have still been getting complaints but the situation is perhaps not as bad as it was.”