Jail for man who exploited woman to grow cannabis

A man who exploited a vulnerable woman so he could set up a commercial scale cannabis grow in her home has been jailed.

Jonathan Cuthbert, 32, from Bradford, threatened the woman and held a knife to her throat when he became fed up of her "whining", a court heard.

Recorder Paul Reid told Bradford Crown Court the woman had refused to let Cuthbert and others set up the grow, but after she declined to help them rent another property, they set it up in her own home and she was intimidated into handing over thousands of pounds to fund the purchase of equipment.

Following a trial, Cuthbert was found guilty of being concerned in the production of cannabis and was jailed on Wednesday for six years.

The court had heard that Cuthbert, of Cambridge Place, Bradford, had eventually told the woman that another grow would need to be set up in one of the bedrooms at her house.

When police searched the premises in January 2020, officers recovered about 70 plants which could have produced cannabis worth about £33,000, Recorder Reid told the sentencing hearing.

The electricity supply at the premises had been byed and lights and fans were installed in the attic, he said.

The court was told that at the time of the offending, Cuthbert had recently been released from a seven-year jail sentence relating to a previous cannabis crop.

Sentencing Cuthbert, Recorder Reid said he had played a "leading role" in the grow.

The offence was aggravated by the "force" used by Cuthbert towards the woman and the distress caused to her, he said.

As part of the sentence, Recorder Reid imposed an indefinite restraining order banning Cuthbert from ing the woman in the future.

Meanwhile, at the same hearing, two other men linked to the offending received suspended jail sentences after Recorder Reid took of the significant delay in the case being resolved and changes they had made in their lives since the offending.

Luke Mountain, 33, of Chapel Street, Bradford, had pleaded guilty to being concerned in the production of cannabis and had his 22-month jail sentence suspended for two years.

He must comply with 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and do 180 hours unpaid work, the court was told.

Liam Briggs, 35, of Deep Lane, Brighouse, was also found guilty of being concerned in the production of cannabis after he helped to by the electricity.

His 12-month jail sentence was suspended for two years and he must do 150 hours unpaid work and comply with 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

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