Bamber Bridge cannabis farm busted just 24 hours after being set up

Gerard Thompson, 35, of Richmond Road, Eccleston, kitted out a bedroom at his former rented home on Homestead, Bamber Bridge.

Preston Magistrates’ Court was told he set up a grow tent and lights, and placed five maturing plants and 20 seedlings.

READ MORE: Huge cannabis farm discovered after police raid Leyland business parkBut by chance, on April 24, officers from Lancashire Constabulary knocked on his door on a completely unrelated enquiry, and immediately smelled cannabis.

Prosecuting, Andy Robinson said: “The defendant led them through and he in fact said: ‘I only set up yesterday, there’s only a few plants.

He was interviewed and admitted he had set it up the day before.

“The forensic scientist says the five plants that were maturing would have made a yield, but the smaller plants, in her opinion, would not have thrived or achieved a particular yield.”

A probation officer told the court that Thompson, from Ireland, had accepted the flat from a housing association without much knowledge of the area, and within a short time. Other people in the same block of flats had “overtaken” his flat, persuading him to use his spare room to grow the drug.

His defence lawyer added: “ The offence dates back to April and at that time he was in a very, very different place. His relationship had recently broken down and he hit a very low point. He wasn’t employed and didn’t have much to do with his time.

“Since then he’s moved away from the people he was associating with and now has employment at a horse livery stables.”

The bench imposed 120 hours unpaid work and a rehabilitation requirement.