Leaking tap led police to £84k cannabis haul at builder's east Hull home
A BUILDER who grew £84,500 of cannabis was caught by police investigating his leaky tap.
Police officers went to the three-bedroom house in Jalland Street, east Hull, after they noticed water pouring out of the porch light.
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Pleaded guilty: David Brown used his bike to sell drugs.
When they entered the house owned by David Brown, they discovered the upstairs had been transformed into a sophisticated cannabis factory.
They were confronted with 474 cannabis plants – many 6ft tall, with a street value of £84,570.
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They also discovered £10,000 cash at the property.
Brown, who already had a conviction for producing cannabis, pleaded guilty at Hull Crown Court to producing cannabis.
Jailing him for two years and four months, Recorder Sandeep Kainth told him: “The more you grow, the greater the penalty is.”
Prosecutor Jharna Jobes told the court officers had spotted water coming out of the house on February 18 and discovered the factory when they investigated the leak.
She said Brown, 46, used his bike to sell cannabis around the city, away from his home.
She said: “He didn’t use a phone because he knew the police would look at it.
“He said some of the money found was from the sale of cannabis.”
Brown had already been jailed for 12 months in 1998 for cannabis production.
His solicitor Harold Bloomfield said Brown had been using cannabis for the past 25 years.
Mr Bloomfield said: “He made full and frank admissions to the police when he was interviewed.
“Even at that stage, he could quite clearly see the writing was on the wall about what the eventual outcome was going to be.”
Recorder Kainth said the cannabis factory at Brown’s house was a “sophisticated operation”.
He said: “You knew back in 1998 as to what the repercussions could be if you continued to grow cannabis.
“It cannot be said you were not alerted to what the sentences are for growing cannabis.”
Brown had undergone a kidney transplant when he was younger and was allowed home to collect his medication after being warned he was facing up to four years in prison.
Recorder Kainth said: “Thank you for coming back to court when you knew full well a custodial sentence was to be imposed.”
A proceeds of crime hearing will be held in October to recover the profit he has made through the sale of drugs.
Comments
by Squaggles
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 4:46PM
“@BevRoadNorth , you talk about propaganda and then link to the Government's FRANK site ?
Are you serious ? Even teenagers can see through the obvious misinformation presented as fact there
Whatever your opinion on wetehr people should use cannabis or not prohibition does not work and actually makes things worse”
by winegumdaze
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 4:43PM
“The police are the worse cowboy builders in town,,£84,570 for a leeky tap,plus £10 000 V.A.T,,What do they charge for a full bathroom suite??? Money down the drain,no retirement to Spain?//”
by GlennQuagmire
Tuesday, July 03 2012, 2:29PM
“Could the HDM please explain how they arrived at a street value of £85K.”
by sooperscooper
Monday, July 02 2012, 11:23PM
“I know Blunderside employ a few plumbs but plumbers? pull the other one!
I would expect cannabis production to be found by heat source the infrared camera on the police helicopter, as this is part of Oscar 99's duties.
I also expect this comment to be remove which will confirm my suspicions (clicks print screen)”
by mindopener
Monday, July 02 2012, 10:34PM
“?”
by embittered
Monday, July 02 2012, 7:41PM
“Shows you we are still in a recession
"Recorder Sandeep Kainth told him: "The more you grow, the greater the penalty is."
his sentence works out at 17 plants a month...I remember when a month in jail used to cost 15 plants or the judge could do you a deal at 170 plants for the year...how times change.”
by mindopener
Monday, July 02 2012, 7:36PM
“BevRoadNorth
"Narcotics police are an enormous, corrupt international bureaucracy... and now fund a coterie of researchers who provide them with 'scientific support'... fanatics who distort the legitimate research of others... The anti-marijuana campaign is a cancerous tissue of lies, undermining law enforcement, aggravating the drug problem, depriving the sick of needed help, and suckering well-intentioned conservatives and countless frightened parents."
- William F. Buckley”
by BevRoadNorth
Monday, July 02 2012, 7:28PM
“@ PoetPeter, this topic is always black and white, youve made your standpoint CLEAR, for those wondering whether to step on the slippery slope...
http://tinyurl.com/cb2v5h2
Habitual users will delude themselves and feel the need to be reassured by the agreement of others that substance misuse is safe. It isnt, quoting half-baked pseudo-science from sources validating their misuse. As a worker in substance misuse, I experience the endless line of casualties from the use of cannabis, psychological harm-paranoia, confusion, greater risk of exacerbating schizophrenic conditions, to physical-many times the toxicity of your general coffin nails and far greater risk of cancers, especially bronchial and lung.
This is a site where most are preaching to the converted-given by the red arrows Hulls sizeable user audience is busy. But folks deserve the clear picture,not propaganda by those with a vested interest in promoting drug misuse. As for saying its not harmful simply by virtue of it not being AS harmful as something else...”
by mindopener
Monday, July 02 2012, 7:10PM
“I_M_Right
Nicely said !”
by mindopener
Monday, July 02 2012, 7:08PM
“@Focusonpeace
Seems you got some internet trolls stalking you lol”