A 43-YEAR-OLD has been jailed after a cannabis factory capable of producing up to £43,500 worth of the drug a year was found at his home.

Jeffrey Hunt, of Westfield Road, Benson, near Wallingford, pleaded guilty to producing cannabis and received a 20-month prison sentence yesterday.

His partner, 41-year-old Lisa Crook, was convicted of one count of permitting use of premises for supply of the Class B drug and was given a community order.

Naomi Perry, prosecuting, said police raided the couple’s Benson home on August 22 last year after it was found to be using 10 times the electricity of its neighbours.

She said officers found cannabis plants growing in a stand-alone brick-built garage behind a false wall, as well as in a shed.

Miss Perry said Hunt, a former truck driver who now works for a drainage company, had built a “fully operational hydroponics factory for the production of cannabis”.

The barrister added that Hunt had previous convictions for burglary, theft and drugs offences.

Lucy Tapper, defending Hunt, said he had not made anything like as much profit from the factory as the prosecution asserted.

She said: “Mr Hunt regards this as a wake-up call and he won’t be committing any further offences.”

Tomas Quinn, defending Crook, said she had suffered from depression and regretted turning a blind eye to Hunt’s behaviour.

Judge Patrick Eccles told Hunt: “You made the decision to embark on this and fit out your garage and shed for this activity.”

He handed Crook a six-month curfew and ordered her to pay £500 costs.

 

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