A farmer who allowed one of his outbuildings to be used for an illegal cannabis grow was found with two unlicensed shotguns in his home along with £20,000 in cash.

When police raided Alfred Swinbank’s farm they discovered a professional cannabis growing set up with 18 plants nearly maturity.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the drugs could have been worth up to £10,000 on the street and the farmer denied that the grow belonged to him.

Anthony Pettengell, prosecuting, ammunition was also recovered from the farmhouse which could have been fired from one of the shotguns.

The 66-year-old told police how both himself and his disabled son used cannabis oil after suffering serious injuries in a separate car crash several years ago.

Mr Pettengell said the shotguns were in disassembled when police recovered and Swinbank said it had belonged to his late father.

“They found a cannabis grow on the second floor of a barn which had been converted into a flat,” he said.

“A hydroponic growing tent containing 18 mature plants was found with fans, ventilation, a water distribution system, all with timers. The equipment had an estimated value of £1,800 and the electricity supply had been bypassed.”

West Middleton Farm, Middleton St GeorgeWest Middleton Farm, Middleton St George (Image: Google)

Mr Pettengell said the plants were nearing maturity and the sophisticated set-up could yield up to 1.5kg of cannabis worth up to £9,720.

Swinbank, of West Middleton Farm, Middleton St George, near Darlington, pleaded guilty to permitting cannabis to be grown on his property and two firearms charges following the raid on November 11, 2020.

A further charge of possession of criminal property was allowed to stay on file and the £19,485 recovered from the farm will be subject of a Proceeds of Crime Act application early next year.

Helen Towers, mitigating, said her client helped to look after his disabled son along with his wife and extra carers.

She added: “As a result, the defendant has turned to any means to allay his son’s condition which the benefits of cannabis oil are evidenced.

“That is why he made the very poor decision to allow his premises to be used and thereby obtain, not by harvesting cannabis or turning into oil by him, but simply the person who had done it would provide him with cannabis oil.

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“He played no part in the cannabis cultivation.”

Judge Deborah Sherwin sentenced Swinbank to six months in custody suspended for 18 months after hearing there had been a four-year delay in proceedings coming to a conclusion.

She said: “You agreed with someone that they could grow cannabis at your premises, it would appear that the trade-off was that you would get cannabis oil which would help with your health but more particularly for your son’s.”

The farmer was also ordered to attend 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and carry out 50 hours of unpaid work.