Ex-wife's tip-off on cannabis

An ex-wife's tip-off led to the discovery of a cannabis factory housing 700 plants at a fishery near Stafford - and the jailing of two men.

Police discovered a barn at Amerton Nursery, which had been fully equipped for cultivating high-quality "skunk".

The crop, which was nearly ready for harvesting, would have netted fishery owner Andrew Cupples and the fishery manager, Stephen Barnes, £77,000.

They intended to use the cash to build fishing lodges for anglers on the banks of the water.

Stafford Crown Court heard yesterday that police had been tipped off by Cupples's ex-wife, who thought he was only growing a few plants for his own use.

Cupples, aged 44, of Amerton Nursery, Amington, branded by Judge John Maxwell as the "principal" of the drug factory, was jailed for 54 months and Barnes, aged 38, the "junior partner", of the same address, and formerly of Gospel Oak Road, Tipton, was given 39 months.

Each of them admitting conspiracy to produce cannabis and being concerned in an arrangement to acquire criminal property.

Mr Nick Burn, prosecuting, told the judge: "This was not a small scale operation, it was more of a factory."

Cupples lived in a bungalow at the premises and Barnes was living in a caravan on the site. A constable who went there in July last year came across Cupples and told him they had information he was growing cannabis.

Cupples replied: "I do have a few cannabis plants." Asked what he meant by "a few", Cupples replied "there's a lot really, follow me."

The officer was led to the barn that was packed with plants and equipment, including a "budding room" and a nursery area for the growing plants.

Mr Burn said Cupples was very co-operative. He said the crop would net them £77,000, that there would be three crops and then they would stop. When they had made £200,000, the money would be used to expand the fishery business. Cupples said he had begun growing cannabis for his own use about 15 years ago, because he was fed up with the rubbish he was being sold.

Barnes admitted he had put £7,000 into the operation, to buy equipment and he would have helped with the harvesting. Mr Peter Hemming, defending, said Cupples was a tiler by trade, but always had the desire to own a fishery. He rented the property at Amerton off his brother-in-law.