Mum caught operating cannabis farm at her Leeds home after former partner tipped off police

A mum was caught operating a cannabis farm at the home she shared with her children after police received a tip-off from her former partner.
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Police found plants worth around £8,000 growing at the property in Armley and arrested Vicky Gill.

Leeds Crown Court heard the mum-of-three was arrested at the house on Congress Street on February 9 last year

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Heather Gilmore, prosecuting, said police received information from Gill's former partner that she was growing cannabis at the property.

Congress Street, Armley.Congress Street, Armley.
Congress Street, Armley.

The prosecutor said he made the report because he was concerned about their 16-year-old daughter being at the property.

Gill, 42, was at home when the officers went to the house and she tried to stop them from going upstairs.

There was evidence that someone had been sleeping in the living room and there was a strong smell of cannabis in the house.

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Eight mature plants were found in a bedroom along with extractor fans, plant food and information on how to produce the class B drug.

The officers also found an area for growing cannabis in the attic.

Miss Gilmore said 31 smaller plants and 500 seedlings were also recovered.

The electricity supply to the property had been bypassed.

The court heard the mature plants were capable of producing cannabis worth up to £8,400.

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Gill admitted responsibility for the plants when she was arrested.

She pleaded guilty to producing cannabis.

Probation officer Mike Cooper told the court that Gill had been frank about her offending when interviewed.

Mr Cooper said Gill said the incident took place after she had split up with the father of her three children.

Gill said they had both had serious cocaine habits and she had built up a £2,000 with dealers.

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Gill claimed that she had been ordered to grow the plants in her home to clear the debt and some of the class B drug would then be given to her for personal use.

Rukhshanda Hussain, mitigating, said Gill's two youngest children live with her and a prison sentence for her client would have a devastating effect on them.

Gill was made the subject of a 12-month community order.

She must take part in a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and complete 50 hours of unpaid work.