UK - Cannabis haul kept in shed - man gets four months suspended for small grow op

[Pondlife]

28 year old man gets four months suspended for small grow op in shed with six plants. He had previous for possession of cannabis and heroin.

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/te...4229-20343357/

Cannabis haul kept in shed

Jan 14 2008 by Gareth Lightfoot, Evening Gazette

A REPORT of a burglary led to an unexpected haul of cannabis plants in a Teesside shed, a court heard.

Police went to Bolckow Street, North Skelton, after hearing of an attempted break-in at a shed on July 1 last year.

“The police went to investigate what they thought was a burglary,” prosecutor Patricia Mancina told Teesside Crown Court.

“Inside it immediately became apparent that the shed was being used for the cultivation of cannabis plants.”

Officers found six plants growing with a lighting, heating and water system set up. Three of the plants would have produced 276g of cannabis bush worth about £1,380, the court heard.

Expert officers said the quantity was consistent with commercial production.

The police were then called by Nicholas Sampson, 28, who said he was simply allowing someone else to use his shed. But he later confessed to growing the Class C drug.

“He said he’d been given some seeds and decided to have a go at growing it for the first time,” said the prosecutor.

Sampson, now of Fargerrick, Loftus, admitted producing cannabis, saying it was for his own use. He had previous convictions for possession of cannabis and heroin.

Michael Bosomworth, defending, said: “This is far removed from the factories which are springing up and down the country, staffed by Vietnamese or other illegal immigrants.

“Although there is a large quantity, he did know how much would be produced. It was an attempt by him to rid himself of heroin.

“He was buying cannabis from dealers. He didn’t wish to associate with them. He thought this was a way out.

“He didn’t think it through. He now appreciates the seriousness. It’s brought him up short realising this has brought him close to real criminality.”

He added Sampson had been clean of heroin for two years, no longer needed cannabis, and was a hard-working man from a respectable family.

The judge, Recorder Colin Burn, passed a four-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, with supervision and programme requirements aimed at helping Sampson come off illegal drugs.

[Metomni]

4 months for ~10 ounces?

I don't know the typical sentencing for such an amount, but with an 18 month delay on his prison time, it sounds like he could have gotten a much harsher punishment.

Sucks that he's going to serve any time at all though.

[Hyperspaceblastoff]

wow thats lame, hes off heroin isnt that wut the courts waned jeesh

[Bikelbees]

And that defence, totally contrived bullshit, makes Bosomworth sound like a prosecutor.

[Evil GIR]

Thats all a bit harsh, 6 plants commercial ????????

Why do the police always try to pin dealing on someone when they are not.

All the comercial grow ops convert whole houses to grow the plants.

All i goto say is fuck the police.

[Micklemouse]

Not a bad sentence for cultivation really, given his previous, & especially when he stated that he no longer had need for cannabis - why then would he still be growing it? Chances are he won't serve any time at all if he sticks with the programme & keeps his nose clean.

Moral of the story kittlings - don't get caught, especially if you've been caught before!

[chemlove]

He really didn't take it that hard he didn't have to do multiple years (as he could have faced in some states). The killing fact was probably the prior for H and etc.

SWIMS friend did 11 months 11 months (total time after work release and sentence shortening) for something about 2/3 the size of his op. on the good side he's happy well and no longer relying on any source of income other then hard work.

[Evil GIR]

Swims once convinced his x-girlfriend to set up a grow at her parents home, so they built a big grow room, had lots of plants. Then one day her mum found out about 12 week later when they where on flower and she called the pigs on us, not surprising really.

They came along, took 1/2 a ounce of resins and about 5 plants, and 15 cuttings.
All they got was a caution and the police actualy told em to buy it from now on and not to grow it.

So to swim, unless ya get caught multiple times, upto 10 plants should be classified as personal and definatly not intitled to a jail sentence.

This was all when cannabis was a class b drug.