Burnley man stripped of £42,000 for cannabis farm gains

A SECURITY engineer who admitted producing cannabis at his Burnley home has been ordered to pay back more than £42,000 from the proceeds of his crime.

Christopher Thompson (37) was found to have more than £22,000 worth of cannabis and £1,000 in cash when police executed a drugs warrant at his home in Red Lees Road.

Officers uncovered a purpose-built room within an outbuilding at the property which was fitted out with high-powered lighting, fans, extractors and other items required for the growing of cannabis plants. They also recovered a quantity of processed cannabis as well as 18 small cannabis plants.

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Thompson, now of Burnley Road, Brierfield, was charged with producing a Class B drug and admitted the offence in court on October 18th. He was handed a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 24 months and ordered to carry out 250 hours’ of community service.

A financial investigation has since found Thompson benefited from the cannabis production to the tune of £42,981.83.

During a Proceeds Of Crime Act hearing at Burnley Crown Court on Wednesday he was ordered to pay back the full amount within six months or face a 15-month jail sentence in addition to paying back his ill-gotten gains.

DC Tony Morris, financial investigator for Lancashire Constabulary’s Pennine Division, said: “The Proceeds of Crime Act is one of the many tools we are using to come down hard on offenders.

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“In the case of Christopher Thompson, it has given us the power to strip him of the considerable assets he has acquired through his cannabis production plant and sends out a clear message to anyone considering embarking on a similar venture that crime does not pay.”

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