Teenager discovered at �39,000 cannabis farm in Wisbech given 15 month sentence

A TEENAGER has been jailed for 15 months after tending a cannabis factory in a bungalow in Wisbech.

Luke Denton, 18, was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court after admitting being involved in the production of the drug and illegally abstracting electricity.

The court heard Denton acted as a gardener for the crop with a street value of more than �39,000. He said he was paid �2,000 for the role.

Police raided the remote bungalow in Marshland St James and discovered 188 cannabis plants and Denton, of Duke Street, Grimsby, living in a caravan in the grounds.

He was sentenced to 15 months in a young offender institution by Judge Anthony Bate.

Martin Ivory, prosecuting, said that during the police raid on the premises it was also found that the electricity metre had been bypassed to illegally abstract electricity to heat and light the plants.

He said the crop found growing had a street value of just over �39,000 and said the potential annual yield was �107,000.

He said that Denton claimed he was to be paid �2000 for acting as a gardener for the cannabis factory.

Sentencing him, Judge Anthony Bate said: “You were recruited as a gardener and were tending the plants while you lived in a caravan. The plants flourished in your care.”

He said that a custodial sentence was inevitable for this kind of offence.

Abigail Pilkington, mitigating for Denton, said: “He is a young man, just turned 18. He was tempted by the payment of �2,000. He was rather naive.

“He recognises it was a very stupid thing to have done.”

She said when he arrived, the cannabis factory had already been set up.