Man who kept cannabis farm on Derbyshire Hill Road avoids jail

Martin Christopher McHugh, of Enford Drive, Sutton was given a suspended prison sentence at Liverpool Crown Court.

McHugh, 42, had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to producing a quantity of a controlled Class B drug, at an address on Derbyshire Hill Road, Parr.

McHugh has 29 previous convictions, mostly relating to dishonesty offences, but only one during the last 12 years for drug driving in 2017.

The court heard that police discovered the cannabis farm, which spanned across three rooms and was described as "professionally" set up, after a raid on the property on May 29 last year.

The cannabis farm was found at a property on derbyshire Hill Road Pic: Google Streetview

Prosecuting, Mike Stephenson, said: "Officers acting on information executed a search warrant secured on May 29 at Derbyshire Hill Road.

"They didn't find anybody at the address, they did find an active cannabis farm which seems to have been set up quite professionally.

"In total some 51 plants were recovered and there were 16 light fittings and a small number of transformers. The plants were distributed across three rooms."

Mr Stephenson added: "The parameters for the yield and street value range from a bottom end of 1.428kg and a top end of 4.28kg, between £14,000 and £54,000.

"The defendant was interviewed about the matter and seems to have taken complete responsibility saying it begins and ends with him.

"He was a frontman for professional cannabis growers lending his details. He was doing this for financial reward to help with his debts."

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The court heard McHugh started committing offences aged 13 and had a "serious Class A drug habit for many years" before he quit heroin and later used cannabis.

The offence of cannabis production for which McHugh was being sentenced had a starting point of one year in jail.

However, Kate Morley, defending, said McHugh had been dealing with "considerable debts" and suffered a marriage breakdown.

Asking the judge to suspend any prison sentence, she said the time of the offence was "when he was at an all time low" with his mental health and wellbeing and he was unemployed.

She said: "He is a frontman who was taking all of the risks, he bitterly regrets his actions" and "rather than smoking cannabis he has thrown himself into physical fitness."

She also read out a statement from his new employer which said "he was a very good worker" who had "worked hard".

It added: "I think it's because he couldn't find a job that he turned to that way of life. If you could see a way to let him carry on his good work he would have a job with me."

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones agreed not to send McHugh straight to jail, giving him an eight-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, and credited him for his early guilty plea.

He said: "You have turned your life around, both in terms of having a fresh relationship and employment, which is obviously helpful in reducing the level of debt.

"I consider there is a reasonable prospect of rehabilitation and I am going to suspend the sentence for 18 months."

McHugh was also ordered to do 140 hours of unpaid work and rehabilitation activity for up to 15 days.