Bolton Crown Court sentenced Jonathon Hall, 35, to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, for allowing his Waterside Gardens flat to be used for cannabis supply.[1] Hall had been arrested and interviewed after the attic find and eventually pleaded guilty to allowing his premises to be used for the supply of cannabis.[1] The defence said Hall had no previous convictions, had a positive work history with several positive references, and had done everything possible to address his issues.[1]
Officers arrived at Waterside Gardens on February 5 last year where they found cannabis being cultivated across two rooms in one of the flats.[1] Around 53 plants were in the process of being cultivated.[1] Officers seized the keys to a vehicle where similar packaging to that found at the flat was found.[1] That flat had been the home of David Jarvis, 38, who has since pleaded guilty to producing cannabis and abstracting electricity.[1] The keys and car led officers to Hall’s nearby flat, also at Waterside Gardens, where some of the cannabis Jarvis had grown was drying in the attic.[1] Officers found more than 7,200 grams of cannabis in Hall’s property, which prosecutors said would have been worth between £18,970 and £72,670 at street level depending how it was sold.[1]
The pre-sentence report on Hall was described as very positive, with the court told he was unlikely to commit further crimes.[1] The judge nevertheless reminded the court there had been a very significant quantity of cannabis in his attic.[1] Alongside the suspended sentence, Hall was ordered to complete 240 hours of unpaid work and a three-month curfew between 8pm and 7am each day.[1]
