A FATHER-of-two has avoided an immediate prison sentence after thousands of pounds of cannabis was found growing in his house.

Daniel Clough, of Sowerby Road, Acomb, admitted production of cannabis in a bedroom of his property, but told police the plants belonged to a friend who he would not name. He also said the grow had been installed one morning while he walked his children to school.

York Crown Court heard that North Yorkshire Police were told about Clough’s illegal activity in August 2016 by his ex-partner after they got into an argument, shortly after she saw electrical equipment and a glow coming from one of the bedrooms at the house during a visit.

 

York Press:

When the 32-year-old was visited by police the following month, he told them he was already on a 15-month suspended sentence and refused to let them through the door.

Officers said they saw him “pacing up and down and panicking”, the court heard, before the door was forced and a search of the house took place. Patricia Docherty, prosecuting, said the grow found in the bedroom comprised 11 plants with a potential street value of £6,160, and a search of the property also found a carrier bag in the loft which contained cannabis with a potential value of £2,090.

The court heard Clough remained with one police officer during the search of his home, and admitted to her that he did smoke cannabis, and that he was going to get rid of the grow - which he maintained was not his. He told the PC he was not a bad man, and he looked after his children, adding “they went to school in clean clothes”. For Clough, Julian Tanikal said the estimated value of the grow was “speculative”, and some of the plants were not mature.

Mr Tanikal said Clough was sole carer of his children - aged six and 10 - at the request of social services, and they had “had a very difficult and unsettling period of time”, but were “now settled in school and have effectively found their feet”.

Recorder John Thackray told Clough he was very lucky not to be given an immediate prison sentence, and said jailing him would cause disruption to his children’s lives. Clough was given an eight-month sentence, suspended for two years. He must also complete a ten-day rehabilitation course. Judge Thackray also extended the suspended sentence Clough was already serving for an unrelated offence, to run concurrently. He said: “Two suspended sentences are hanging over you and should you commit any further offences in that two years any future court will have no choice and no hesitation to send you into custody.”