A HOMELESS man with a drug addiction was roped into helping criminals run a multi-million pound cannabis factory.

Gary McCann, 59, worked alongside three other men who facilitated the importation of more than 400 kilograms of the product, with a street value of around £3million, into the UK.

Badrul Alam, Ismail Ahmed and Yamin Patel were sentenced for a combined total of eleven years before Christmas, after a police officer discovered rafts of cannabis inside a warehouse in Oswaldtwistle.

Preston Crown Court heard how the officer, who was working in the area on another job at the time, was drawn to the premises after smelling what he described as ‘death’ coming from inside.

Once backup was called and the police accessed the premises, named AtoZ Meats, they discovered a sophisticated cannabis set-up which was being fronted as a meat-packing factory.

Prosecuting the case last year, David Povall said: “A workstation had been set-up within the body of the unit. Down the centre was a pallet wall. On one side was a stack of boxes containing mostly frozen cows’ feet which were being unpacked with the meat being hurled into bins.

“Underneath the feet were heat-sealed packets of skunk cannabis and cannabis resin. Those were being taken out. There was then a section of the pallet wall which had been set-up as a cleaning station.

"It appeared that the packets of drugs which had been taken out having been mixed up with meat were then being cleaned and re-packaged.

“The officers arrival had interrupted the unpacking of this consignment of drugs.”

A consequent investigation identified McCann as one of those who had attended the unit on several occasions – including the day on which the officer had attended.

The court heard how his role had been moving around the bins of meat, with the Crown Prosecution Service accepting that his involvement was limited.

Defending his client, Mark Stuart said: “This defendant was not only a drug addict at the time but he was also homeless. He was sleeping rough outside. 

“He had been a decent builder in his younger life and had continued to do ad-hoc jobs and that is what initially roped him into this.”

Mr Stuart went on to explain how McCann, formerly of Marles Court, Burnley, had carried out some work for one of his co-defendants, whose family owned property in the area, when he was dragged into working at the cannabis factory.

Sentencing him to 12 months in custody, Judge Guy Mathieson said: “I accept that life has had its difficulties for you – one of which is a long-standing addiction to class A drugs.

“I can see the toll it has taken on you and at your age, it is perhaps a trite thing to say that is may come as a surprise to some, given your lifestyle, that you have made it this far.

“I accept that at the time of these offences you were doing whatever you could to get a bit of money or drugs, or whatever it was to satisfy your addiction. 

“That led you to your association with the others and doing what amounts to ‘odd jobs’ - unfortunately those jobs in your case were to do with the supply and wholesale drugs.”