A man has been evicted from his Birkenhead home after turning it into a cannabis farm.
A 52-year-old man of Lorn Court in Lorn Street, was ordered to leave his home by Birkenhead County Court after his landlord, Riverside, secured a forthwith possession order.
In July last year, the tenant was found guilty of allowing his premises to be used for producing a Class B drug, after cannabis plants with a street value of £12,950 – £25,900 were found at his home. He was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for 24 months, and was ordered to carry out 180 hours community service.
A Riverside enforcement officer alerted Merseyside Police, after smelling cannabis and hearing a mechanical fan at the property. After securing a warrant, the police forced entry into the property, where they discovered a large quantity of mature cannabis plants, tents to house the plants, and equipment including lighting and fans.
In a statement forming part of Riverside’s evidence for consideration by the judge, the housing officer said: “This was the most professional and sophisticated construction of a cannabis farm I have seen. Parts of the flat no longer looked like a housing property, it looked more like a laboratory.
“Due to large quantity of cannabis growing, it was evident that nobody could reside there. It was also clear that a professional construction job had been carried out, which included abstracting electricity.”
Deputy District Judge Ranson agreed it was an elaborate drug factory and a large scale operation and said he had no hesitation in granting a forthwith possession order.
Speaking after the hearing, Ian Lightfoot, Riverside’s Anti Social Behaviour Manager said: “As a landlord, we have a duty to take action against tenants using their properties for cultivating cannabis, which is not the harmless drug it is often perceived to be.
“The cultivation or trafficking of drugs is a magnet for further crime. An increasing number of people who grow cannabis are directly funding dangerous, organised criminal gangs responsible for gun crime, violence and intimidation.
“Not only do drugs blight communities and destroy lives, but there are inherent dangers in its cultivation. People who grow cannabis often have a total disregard for the safety of others, endangering the lives of their neighbours by tampering with electricity supplies and leaving live cables exposed, increasing the risk of fire.
“We are working in partnership with the police and if any of our tenants are found to be flouting the law and using their home to cultivate drugs, or commit any other form of crime, we will seek to evict them”.