Decorator is victim of burglary... then done for growing cannabis

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by Julia Roberts

Decorator Daniel Wright came a cropper when his Greenhithe flat was broken into - burglars stole his cannabis plants and he was then arrested for growing the drug.

Police found the small-scale cannabis factory in a bedroom at Wright’s flat in  Courtyard Mews, Waterstone Park, after they had been called to investigate a suspected burglary on August 16.

Maidstone Crown Court heard officers traced Wright after stopping the getaway vehicle and finding his driving licence and other personal documents inside. They also found a bin bag containing six cannabis plants.

The officers went to his flat to find a window ajar at an awkward angle and a sidegate forced open.

Jo Cope, prosecuting, said they were concerned when there was no reply and forced their way in, only to discover more cannabis plants.

“In the bedroom they found two grow tents,” explained Mrs Cope. “One had 16 plants in and the other had six empty pots.”

Wright, 32, was not at home at the time, but was arrested four days later.

He answered the door and told officers: 'It was my cannabis. I was only growing a little bit.’.

As well as the plants and grow tents, police found seven fans, two filters, three lighting rigs and three transformers.

“While this was not an extensive site and was small-scale,” explained the prosecutor, “money had been spent on the equipment, and a reasonable amount.”

Wright, now of  Greenway, Bromley, admitted producing cannabis. The plants were said to have had a potential yield of about £2,000.

Imposing a jail term of six months suspended for two years, Recorder Brendan Finucane QC rejected Wright’s claim that he smoked 15 to 20 joints a day, saying that if that were true “his painting would be all over the shop.”

However, the recorder added there was no evidence of actual supply.

“I take the view it was coming close to it,” he said. “Even if you were a heavy user, I don’t believe for one moment you would have actually smoked all of this yourself.”

Wright, who was described as a long-term user of cannabis, was also ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work and pay £340 court costs within 14 days.

It is not known what happened to the burglars.

Monday, January 16 2012

via kentonline.co.uk