A WORKINGTON man with a low opinion of cocaine dealers was nevertheless proudly running a 'small business' growing and selling cannabis, a court heard.

Andrew Carney, 43, even advertised the class B drug on Facebook.

The defendant, of Fisher Street, Workington, was charged after police raided his home and found that he was cultivating a cannabis crop with a potential street value of £9,600, part of an enterprise that had spanned several months. 

Carney pleaded guilty to possessing the drug, producing it, and possessing it with intent to supply.

Joe Allman, prosecuting, said Carney had told a contact that he normally yielded a cannabis harvest that weighed between 18 and 36oz and he claimed this had happened twice at the time his home was raided.

Police visited his home on January 30 to speak to him about an unrelated matter but noticed a strong smell of cannabis.

In a search of the property, the officers found various pieces of cannabis growing equipment, including five foil-lined tents and hydroponic watering equipment. These were in the kitchen and bedroom.

The barrister also outlined the incriminating messages found on the defendant’s mobile phone. “There were numerous messages advertising cannabis for sale,” said Mr Allman.

“There were contacts in the phone from various individuals, asking to buy cannabis from him. It was clear he was dealing with people he didn’t know very well as well as people he did know well.”

Carney told customers that he would not sell 'on credit.'

Yet when he was interviewed, he told police that he sold only to friends, but he admitted that he had been advertising the drugs he grew on Facebook.

Mr Allman went on to mention how some messages showed that the defendant appeared to have a low opinion of cocaine dealers.

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In one exchange, with a former contact, it was clear that she had associated with a cocaine dealer. He made it clear that he was a cannabis dealer only, and not selling cocaine, which he said ruined people’s lives.

Sean Harkin, defending, said Carney had made a change to his lifestyle, taking up full-time work and he was assessed as a low risk of further offending. His job meant he was in a better financial position.

Judge Nicholas Dean QC told the defendant: “You are in your early 40s and you have been in trouble before, but not in fact for drugs matters.

“I notice that you have been cautioned for possession of cannabis.

“Between May of 2019 and January of 2020 you were running a small business, growing and selling cannabis. It’s evident from your conversation with the police officers that you were really rather proud of this small business and the quality of the cannabis you were producing and selling.

“This was to some extent a commercial enterprise. You were selling it for profit.”

But the judge accepted that scale of the enterprise was not significant and noted that Carney’s offences were now some time ago. He imposed a 20-month jail term but suspended that sentence for two years.

In addition, the defendant must complete 120 hours of unpaid work and ten days of rehabilitation with the Probation Service.

His drug producing paraphernalia and cannabis will be destroyed and the “small amount of cash” police found during the raid will be forfeited.

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