£10,000 cannabis farm found in Great Harwood (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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£10,000 cannabis farm found in Great Harwood
3:30pm Friday 6th April 2012 in Great Harwood
A MAN had a £10,000 cannabis farm locked away in a bedroom at his Great Harwood home.
Jonathan Andrews, 28, had refused to open the door to the room when police turned up the property and officers had to force entry.
Inside they found 21 cannabis plants growing in a "sophisticated tent," bought especially for that purpose, with lighting and fans, Burnley Crown Court heard.
Andrews was to tell officers he had been using the drug for 10 years, had been beaten up by previous dealers and had decided to grow his own. He had no previous convictions.
The defendant, of Blackburn Road, Great Harwood, had admitted producing cannabis, last September and had been committed for sentence by magistrates. He was given a 12 month community order, with 240 hours unpaid work and must pay £500 costs.
Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said police went to the defendant's home on Park Road because of a report of potential domestic incident.
A bedroom door was locked and they thought someone might be inside. Andrews said the room was a housemate's and he did not have the keys.
Officers thought he was being evasive, forced the door and found the farm. The potential yield of the plants was said to be a kilo of drugs, worth just over £10,000.
Miss Statham said police also found some snap bags. The defendant said he had had them a long time because a previous dealer supplied his cannabis in foil and he didn't like that.
Simon Gurney, for Andrews, said it was his assertion the cannabis was for his own use. The defendant, who worked laying astro turf, had been foolish.
Sentencing, Judge Beverley Lunt told Andrews he should have stopped using cannabis.
She said the defendant had not used it for medical purposes, knew it was illegal and had been wasting his money.
The judge said the defendant could have lost everything by making "such a crass decision." She added: "It's quite ridiculous."
