Police uncover £35,000 cannabis factory at Portchester home

A MAN caught growing £35,000 worth of cannabis at home has been spared jail.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Aug 2018, 10:43 GMT
Updated 4th Sep 2018, 03:22 GMT
Mark Colwell outside Portsmouth Magistrates' CourtMark Colwell outside Portsmouth Magistrates' Court
Mark Colwell outside Portsmouth Magistrates' Court

Police uncovered a 'cottage industry' set-up at Mark Colwell's home in Portchester on April 25 with 38 plants growing under hydroponics and lights.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard the 35-year-old told police he smoked up to an ounce a week '“ but a judge said in all probability he had 'intended to sell some of it for financial gain'.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Debt-laden Colwell, then of Olive Crescent, Portchester, claimed he switched to growing his own to cut costs after taking on too much credit.

Mark Colwell outside Portsmouth Magistrates' CourtMark Colwell outside Portsmouth Magistrates' Court
Mark Colwell outside Portsmouth Magistrates' Court

A police drug expert said the plants would have been worth £18,000 wholesale or £35,000 on the streets.

Electricity had been bypassed, with Colwell's set-up stealing £896 worth of electricity from the supplier.

In court it was revealed Colwell, now of Gladys Avenue, North End, had been jailed for four years when he was convicted of possession with intent to supply class A drugs in 1999.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And in 2014 magistrates handed him a community order for producing cannabis, a class B drug.

Mark Colwell, 35, now of Gladys Avenue, North End, was caught growing 75,000 worth of cannabis at his former home in Portchester. He was handed a suspended prison sentence for growing the class B drug and bypassing the electricity meter. Picture: CPS WessexMark Colwell, 35, now of Gladys Avenue, North End, was caught growing 75,000 worth of cannabis at his former home in Portchester. He was handed a suspended prison sentence for growing the class B drug and bypassing the electricity meter. Picture: CPS Wessex
Mark Colwell, 35, now of Gladys Avenue, North End, was caught growing 75,000 worth of cannabis at his former home in Portchester. He was handed a suspended prison sentence for growing the class B drug and bypassing the electricity meter. Picture: CPS Wessex

Handing Colwell a two-year term suspended for two years, judge Roger Hetherington said: 'I'm extremely sceptical whether all of this was for your own use.

'I think the probability was that you were intending to sell some of it for financial gain in order to assist with your debts but I don't make a specific finding about that.

'In order do that it seems I have to have a Newton hearing and clear evidence about the matter, I'm not in a position to do that today.'

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The judge said Colwell's previous convictions made his serious position 'worse'.

Mark Colwell, 35, now of Gladys Avenue, North End, was caught growing 75,000 worth of cannabis at his former home in Portchester. He was handed a suspended prison sentence for growing the class B drug and bypassing the electricity meter. Picture: CPS WessexMark Colwell, 35, now of Gladys Avenue, North End, was caught growing 75,000 worth of cannabis at his former home in Portchester. He was handed a suspended prison sentence for growing the class B drug and bypassing the electricity meter. Picture: CPS Wessex
Mark Colwell, 35, now of Gladys Avenue, North End, was caught growing 75,000 worth of cannabis at his former home in Portchester. He was handed a suspended prison sentence for growing the class B drug and bypassing the electricity meter. Picture: CPS Wessex

Howard Barrington-Clark, mitigating, said Colwell's marriage had collapsed, leading to him falling into debt.

'He ran up massive bills on the credit card, he was lonely and depressed.'

The lawyer said Colwell's '˜habit increased deeply'.

Colwell, who admitted producing cannabis and abstracting electricity, must complete 30 rehabilitation activity days and pay £896 compensation to the electricity company.

He had admitted what he did to police when he was arrested, the court heard.