Monday 20 June 2011

Not Really The Underworld Percy Thrower, Is He?

Ben Harvey called officers after running to a neighbour’s house when people broke into his home last September 19, a court heard.
Yikes!
When they arrived, Harvey told officers he was scared...
Well, understandably. After all, that's likely to be the response of every law-abiding homeowner when...

Oh. Wait.
...because he grew his own cannabis and had been targeted by thugs before.
Unfortunately for the hapless Harvey, he was about as good at horticulture as he was at lawbreaking. Which is to say, not very...
Harvey then took a Pc to an outbuilding at his home address at Middle Watch, Swavesey, where 15 dead plants and 29 growing ones were stored. Police estimated the value of the drugs in the amateur factory at about £11,600.
Clearly not a man to listen to 'Gardener's Question Time':
However, Harvey's horticultural talents were so poor that the prosecution said the drugs would be worth much less. Many plants were afflicted with blight.
And it seems there's a clause in the law allowing leniency for incompetence:
Judge Haworth said: "You got yourself involved in cultivating cannabis in a set up which was far from sophisticated. That is against the law and merits a prison sentence." But he said in this case he would suspend that sentence as the cannabis was clearly for personal use only.
That's a shame. I'm sure he could have picked up some valuable tips working in the prison garden...

H/T: Jeff Wood via email

5 comments:

PT said...

Well, I think the answer lies in the soil.

Anonymous said...

I grow my own - and to a high standard. No one has so far come calling armed to the teeth - and my potatoes are as good as they get. Where did the estimate of £11K+ come from? If correct I may have to get into crop-rotation! aco

Ancient + Tattered Airman said...

I've often wondered about the estimates quoted when illegal drugs happens to be the subject. Do you think it might have been form someone on 'work experience'?

Shinar's Basket Case said...

Can you imagine the scene? Some hash addicts decide to grow their own?

Hash Head 1:"HeeEEey Dooood, dya think like we should like maybe dunno water 'Bill Hash Plant And Ben Hash Plant?

Hash Head 2:"oh like wow maaaAAAnn...heaVY KaaAAArma, like don't hash plants absorb divine moisture through their third Chakra like"

Hash Head 1: "yeeeEEEEAAAH like pass the smarties doodddz"

Seriously, the thought of your average hash head actually managing to get his arse into gear and organized to grow even enough hash to cover his own needs seems improbable.

JuliaM said...

"Where did the estimate of £11K+ come from? If correct I may have to get into crop-rotation! "

I was surprised to see that he wasn't Vietnamese, since that seems to be the main weed-grower demographic!

"I've often wondered about the estimates quoted when illegal drugs happens to be the subject."

They're based on the alleged 'street value', aren't they?

"Seriously, the thought of your average hash head actually managing to get his arse into gear and organized to grow even enough hash to cover his own needs seems improbable."

Quite! Better stick to Vietnamese.