Jury trials return to Leeds Crown Court for first time in four months as man is convicted of producing cannabis farm at house in Harehills

The first trial was completed after jurors returned to the building on Oxford Row to try cases for the first time since the decision was taken to halt trials for public safety.A panel of seven men and five women heard the case as they sat behind perspex screens as part of new social distancing measures.

Addressing the jurors before the start of the trial on Wednesday morning, The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl QC, said: "Good morning ladies and gentlemen. It is slightly strange times that we are living in at the moment.

"As you can see, this courtroom has been set up so as to accommodate social distancing, using screens which are there to ensure your safety.

"Obviously we are all aware of the Covid-19 situation and so we have taken these steps to make sure that everybody is safe."

The procedure for selecting the jurors was also different.

A panel of 15 jurors were each assigned a number and waited in an assembly area outside the court.

The court clerk then selected 12 people at random before numbers were placed on the bench in front of the juror's seat.

Jurors were then called into the courtroom one-by-one and led to their place by the court ushers.

Jurors were not required to stand as they were sworn in

They also left the courtroom one at a time whenever there was a break in proceedings.

Each juror was provided with gloves, hand sanitiser and disposable pens.

The judge told the jury that they were likely to be approached by an usher and handed documents during the trial.

They were told that documents had only been handled by the ushers who were wearing gloves.

Each jury was provided with a bottle of water.

They were asked not to share water during the hearing but to ask for more if they needed any.

Jurors were also asked to return to the same seat each time they went back to the retiring room.

The judge said: "A great deal of preparation has been done in order to enable us to hold trials.

"While you are in this court building, and of course everywhere, you must adhere to the social distancing guidelines please.

"This and the other safety measures we have put in place are to ensure that you are safe."

The judge also reminded the jurors of their responsibilities should they develop coronavirus symptoms during the case.

He said: "Should you develop any symptoms of Covid-19, whether during the court day or outside of that or you find that anyone you live with has symptoms of Covid-19 then please just let me know straight away or one of the court staff - and I mean straight away - and the court staff will give me instructions."

The short trial was heard without witnesses being called as the facts in the case were not in dispute between the prosecution and the defence.

The defendant, 24-year-old Hung Nguyen, was on trial accused of being concerned in the production of cannabis.

Nguyen, a Vietnamese national, sat in the court dock at a safe distance from an interpreter and a security officer.

Rukhshanda Hussain, prosecuting, told the jury how police and environmental health officers went to Bellbrooke Grove, in Harehills, on October 7 last year to deal with a complaint of fly tipping.

The defendant initially refused to answer the door but eventually allowed the officers inside the property.

Miss Hussain said officers went into the property and found a large number of cannabis plants growing in different rooms.

She said: "It was a sophisticated commercial operation and it was clear that the operation was organised, professional, expensive and capable of being able to produce a yield of thousands of pounds worth of cannabis.

"The Crown say this defendant was aware of the set up and played a part in that production."

Nguyen gave evidence at the trial and claimed he had been employed as a cleaner at the property.

He said he played no part in looking after the plants and that he was unaware that they were in the property.

The defendant said he had fled Vietnam to Russia as he feared persecution after he attended a political demonstration in his home country.

Nguyen said he had then met people in Russia who arranged for him to be transported to the UK before being sent to the house in Leeds.

The jury reached a unanimous guilty verdict after deliberating for around two hours.

Nguyen, who has been in custody since his arrest, was given a ten-month prison sentence.

The judge told Nguyen that he would be released from custody due to the time he had already spent in prison and would serve the remainder of the sentence on licence.

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Thank you Laura Collins