Cannabis grower claimed £46,000 Castleford home set-up was for personal use

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
A cannabis user tried to claim that a £46,000 farm found during a raid at his home was for his own personal use.

Lee Jones later had the “good sense” to realise his story would not be accepted, Leeds Crown Court heard.

The 53-year-old was arrested when officers attended his premises on June 28, 2023. They found 44 plants that were being cultivated on the premises on Keystone Avenue in Castleford.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They also found more than an ounce of amphetamine and a small amount of cocaine. More than £12,000 in cash was also recovered.

He later admitted production of cannabis, possession of a a Class B drug and possession of a Class A drug. He has previous convictions for driving matters and non-dwelling burglaries. However, his last conviction for 1993 and he has none for drugs matters.

Jones had cannabis with a potential street value of £46,000 at his home on Keystone Avenue, and claimed it was for personal use.Jones had cannabis with a potential street value of £46,000 at his home on Keystone Avenue, and claimed it was for personal use.
Jones had cannabis with a potential street value of £46,000 at his home on Keystone Avenue, and claimed it was for personal use. | Google Maps / National World

A probation report was read to the court which stated Jones socially began taking drugs - amphetamine - when he was around 37 and took diazepam for anxiety and depression.

He said he began smoking cannabis three years ago for medicinal purposes, knew someone who was selling growing equipment and wanted to grow it himself in bulk, but claimed it was never about making money.

The court was told he was now free from all drugs.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Judge Mushtaq Khokhar said of Jones’ personal use claims: “You had the good sense to realise it was not something that would be accepted by the prosecution - you had to come clean.

“In growing cannabis, people go to custody for that. Here, there was a large quantity.”

However, he drew back from an immediate custodial sentence and have him 14 months, suspended for 18 months.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He ordered Jones complete 10 rehabilitation days with probation and 150 hours of unpaid work.

A Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) timetable was set in which steps will be taken to recover any cash he made from the drugs.

Related topics:
Leeds news you can trust since 1890
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice