Croydon Crown Court: A man who turned an "office" at a sea cadets' headquarters into a cannabis factory, has been jailed for five years.

Jamie Hay, aged 34, of Danson Road, Bexleyheath, pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to cultivating the drug.

The court heard Hay had leased a container on the site of Chislehurst and Sidcup Sea Cadets' headquarters, in Sandy Lane, St Paul's Cray.

When police raided it in February last year, following a tip off, they discovered more than 1,000 cannabis plants in various stages of cultivation.

Prosecuting, Christopher Coltard, said the plants had a potential yield of 40k of cannabis a year, worth £250,000 on the streets. Security cameras on the site had confirmed what was going on.

At an earlier hearing, Hay tried to blame other people, saying his only role had been to allow the container to be used.

But Judge Edward Southwell rejected this, saying he believed Hay had played a leading part in the operation from the outset.

On Hay's behalf, Matthew McDonagh said Hay looked after his sick wife, who would suffer he was sent to jail.

He also said Hay had another side to him, which included helping out at a local football club. But he had taken on a number of financial commitments and had allowed himself to become immersed in the drugs trade.

Mr McDonagh put the Government's proposed reclassifying of cannabis to the judge.

But Judge Southwell said he had to deal with Hay according to how the law currently stands. "This was a major operation with a plain commercial motive.

"The hydroponic equipment was set up at considerable expense and trouble and obviously required an investment of time and money on a significant scale. It was intended to be a profitable one."

Basing the profits on the wholesale value of the cannabis about £100,000 the judge told Hay: "Whatever the current law, it doesn't excuse greed on this kind of scale. This is a case of greed in a man who was capable of earning a respectable and worthwhile living by legitimate means."

November 27, 2001 11:00