Ryan Kearney, 30, and his wife Leah Kearney, 35, felt they were in 'a hopeless situation' after losing their jobs and getting into 'considerable debt'
A couple living in a large detached house in its own grounds decided to sort out their debts – by growing cannabis.
Police acting on a tip-off found that the detached double garage had been converted into a sophisticated cannabis factory.
There were almost 150 plants and Mold Crown Court heard prosecution claims that if all the plants, including the seedlings, reached maturity, the crop could be worth up to £250,000 on the street - depending how it was sold.
Ryan Kearney, 30, and his wife Leah Kearney, 35, who rented Tŷ Nant Barn on the outskirts of Whitford, near Holywell, admitted producing cannabis over a 12-month period, possessing the drug with intent to supply and money laundering.
The husband, who also admitted abstracting almost £4,000 worth of electricity, was jailed for 28 months.
His wife received a 21-month prison sentence suspended for two years – with rehabilitation and a three-month tagged curfew to remain indoors between 9pm and 7am – because she had a child to care for.
Now an investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act will take place to see how much money, if any, can be confiscated.
Prosecutor David Mainstone said police searched the property on May 20.
There was no one at home but four zones were found in the garage.
A sophisticated operation
It was, he said, a sophisticated operation with lights and irrigation and the electricity meter had been bypassed.
There was a total of 149 plants – some two and a half feet tall, others ten inches tall, and two trays containing seedlings.
In the final zone was a box of harvested cannabis bud.
Ryan Kearney’s fingerprints were found and the DNA of he and his wife were found on disposable gloves.
The couple returned home during the search, more than £3,000 in cash was found in the house and he said that police also seized two high value watches.
Ryan Kearney said he was carrying the can and was arrested.
His wife was later arrested when she rang the police and said “We did it for a reason. We didn’t do it to make money.”
An investigation showed cash deposits into each of their bank accounts – around £25,000 paid into each account, said Mr Mainstone.
Barrister Julian Nutter, for Ryan Kearney, said that not all plants would have grown to maturity – only the best seedlings would have been selected.
He said the couple had lost their employment, and they felt that they were in a hopeless situation after stupidly getting themselves into considerable debt.
A third party gave them “a golden opportunity” which seemed like a good idea at the time.
Judge Rhys Rowlands said it was a serious matter – it was a commercial cannabis growing enterprise.
“This was an ongoing operation set up for the repeated growing of the crop,” he said.
In debt
Judge Rowlands said that there was evidence that they were living beyond their means and were greatly in debt.
They were living in an expensive area and leasing an expensive car.
“Whatever debts you were in, you were not seeking to properly address them by cutting your cloth to live within your means,” the judge told them.
It appeared that the husband came into contact with someone who suggested “a supposedly easy way” to make money.
That led to the cultivation of cannabis at the property at a fairly significant scale.
Judge Rowlands said that the couple were not naive and realised that they were running the risk, if and when they were caught, of significant custodial sentences.
But Leah Kearney’s sentence would be suspended because she would be left as the sole carer of her son and her only family were in Spain.
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/flintshire-couple-converted-double-garage-12328906
No comments:
Post a Comment