Three men sentenced at Leeds Crown Court over cannabis farm discovered at £1 million Yorkshire mansion

Carl John Mason, 38, James Harding, 36, and John Kenneth Atkin, 41, appeared at Leeds Crown Court in relation to the illegal drugs farm that was discovered by police at Meridian House, on Estcourt Road, Darrington, in December of 2018.

Almost 140 plants were found spread across two rooms of the luxury property, of which 67 had matured, were standing at around one-metre high and were flowering ready to be harvested, the court was told.

Mason, of Chestnut Avenue, Immingham, Lincolnshire, along with Harding of Station Road, Stallingborough, Lincolnshire and Atkin, of Welhome Road, Grimsby, all admitted a charge of cultivation of cannabis.

As a basis of plea, the three said they were only brought in to harvest the crop, which was accepted by the Crown.

They were each given a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work.

In August, another defendant, an 86-year-old man, was sentenced for being the occupier of the property during that time and permitting the production of cannabis.

He was given a six-month conditional discharge and told to pay £105 costs.

The house, which had been listed for sale for £1 million in January, has since been sold to new owners.