'Concentrated' cannabis grow found in the loft of Leeds home

Officers found a “concentrated” grow in the loft of Errol Black’s Burley home which utilised intense 600w lightbulbs to help accelerate the growth of the drug, Leeds Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Ben Whittingham said officers went to the Sowood Street property on May 8, but struggled to gain access because Black would not open the metal gate attached to the door.

The eventually forced their way in after a tussle and recognised the strong smell of cannabis and bags of fertiliser.

They found 23 plants under a “sophisticated” set up in the attic, where a window had also been boarded up.

Mr Whittingham said that because of the extensive lighting, it was capable of producing double the regular amount of skunk cannabis, a total of 2.4kg of the drug, with a street value estimated to be more than £24,000.

They also found a small bag of cocaine on Black when he was arrested.

Black, aged 40, became agitated at the police station and had to be taken to the floor to be handcuffed.

He then gave no comments during his police interview, but later admitted production of cannabis and possession of cocaine.

He has 18 convictions for 26 previous offences, many of which are for drugs.

Mitigating, John Batchelor admitted his client has a history of drugs, and added: “It clearly crosses the custody threshold, but it need not be immediate.”

He said that after a drugs conviction in 2015, he was left in debt and was forced by a criminal gang to set up the cannabis farm at his rented home.

In return he was given a small amount of cannabis for his own consumption.

Put forward as his basis of plea, the judge, Recorder Tony Watkin accepted his version of events before sentencing him to eight months’ jail, suspended for two years and gave him 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days to complete.

He was also given a curfew, meaning he must stay at home between the hours of 9pm and 7am for the next four months.