Foxdale man gets 18-month suspended term for loft cannabis grow
William Christian, 43, was given an 18-month prison sentence suspended for two years at Douglas Courthouse after police found 16 cannabis plants growing in the loft of his Foxdale home. He admitted cultivation, supplying the drug, possession with intent to supply and possession of criminal property.
A cannabis dealer who was caught growing cannabis in his loft was sentenced at
Douglas Courthouse.[1]Police raided his house on Archallagan Terrace in
Foxdale on 19 August 2021.[2]Police also found evidence on his phone of
supplying the drug since 2018.[1]He was handed an 18-month sentence suspended
for two years.[1]He pleaded guilty to cultivation of cannabis, being
concerned in the supply of the drug, possession with intent to supply, and
possession of criminal property.[1]
He was found to have £5,000 of the drug in jars at his home as well as 16 young
plants and saplings.[1]Christian had blacked out the windows in the loft of
his home and installed an air filtration unit and a hydroponic system to
cultivate the plants.[1]When mature the plants would have had a street value
of between £13,000 and £40,000, prosecutors said.[1]Messages on his phone
showed evidence of drug sales and bank transfers of more than £23,000.[1]After being arrested Christian claimed half of the drugs were for his personal
use and only £11,000 of the money transferred to his account was payment for
drugs sold to friends.[1]
Deemster Graeme Cook said he was prepared to suspend the sentence due to his
“clear remorse” and the fact his children were financially reliant on him.[1]Christian’s defence advocate said he accepted the offences were serious but he
was now distancing himself from cannabis.[1]
Photos and video
Cannabis plants found in the loft of William Christian's home in Foxdale.Photo details
The BBC published its account on 24 October 2022 and Manx Radio republished it on 28 October 2022; 24 October is used as the incident date but neither source states the hearing day explicitly.
No weight was published for the £5,000 of cannabis found in jars, so no cannabis weight is recorded.
Prosecutors gave a wide £13,000 to £40,000 range for the potential value of the plants once mature rather than a single figure, so it is kept in the text and not in figures.
The sources do not say what happened to the 16 plants or the jarred cannabis after sentencing.
The sources report no appeal or later court step.
Both accounts rest on the same BBC Isle of Man court report rather than two independent investigations.
Robert Proctor, 24, from Peel was jailed for 3 years and 11 months for being concerned in supplying cocaine, ketamine and 271.5g of cannabis between September 2023 and September 2024. Police found 3.2g and 15.9g of cannabis in two searches of his home, with phone messages revealing the wider supply.
Arrested 1Charged 1Cannabis 19.1 gPrison 3 years and 11 months
Kyle Murphy, 20, was jailed for seven years at Douglas for cocaine and cannabis supply offences after police found cannabis, THC sweets, psilocybin products and 117g of cocaine. Police said he ran a Flavour Chaser shop selling THC sweets and cannabis by the ounce from age 15 until November 2024.
Kyle Reece Wright, 25, was jailed for four years and eight months at Douglas Courthouse after police found 656 g of cannabis bush and 138 g of cannabis resin, along with ketamine, at a Douglas home he was staying at in October 2024. Phone messages showed he had supplied cannabis for about 10 months and directed others to sell for him.
Arrested 3Charged 1Cannabis 794 gPrison 4 years and 8 months
Jamie Smith, 38, was jailed for 20 years at Douglas for leading an Isle of Man organised crime group supplying cocaine and cannabis. He admitted cocaine importation and supply and cannabis supply between August 2022 and November 2023 after police bugged his Comis Hotel room.
