Police found cannabis farm worth £19,000 during search for wanted man at flat on York Road in Leeds

Leeds Crown Court heard officers discovered 35 plants growing in the loft of a flat above a sandwich shop on York Road.

Paul Nicholson, prosecuting, said the officers went to the property on York Road on December 11, 2018, looking for a man in connection with an unrelated matter.

Mr Nicholson said Jake Cooling answered the door of the flat at 8.10am and allowed the officers inside.

The cannabis plants were found when the officers looked through a ceiling hatch.

The plants were in the early stages of growth.

Cooling was arrested at the property along with his girlfriend.

The defendant told the officers that his girlfriend had nothing to do with the cannabis and she was not charged with any offence.

Mr Nicholson said the plants were capable of producing just under 2kg of the class B drug with a street value of between £16,000 and £19,000.

Cooling was interviewed and said he knew about the cannabis plants in the loft but said he had not been involved in growing them.

The defendant said he had allowed another man to grow the plants at his home in exchange for cash.

Cooling 23, now of Kentmere Approach, Seacroft, pleaded guilty to permitting premises to be used for the production of cannabis.

Imran Khan, mitigating, said Cooling pleaded guilty to the offence at an early stage and had not been in trouble in more than 18 months since the incident.

Mr Khan said his client committed the offence to get money to help his mother as she was in an abusive relationship and was desperate to leave the country as she felt her life was in danger.

The court heard Cooling is now a carer for his mother and sister.

Cooling was made the subject of a 12-month community order and ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work.