Couple call police after their cannabis farm is stolen

A bungling couple called police to report a theft from their house – £10,000 worth of cannabis. Officers arrived at the home of Colin Roberts and Mandy Coghlan to be greeted by a smell of cannabis. They quickly established that the cannabis had been stolen and Roberts was arrested for production of the drug. But that angered Coghlan who grabbed a loaded air pistol and pointed it at one of the police officers. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Roberts took the cannabis to alleviate his pain from Crohn's Disease.

Now Roberts and Coghlan have been handed 12-month prison sentences, suspended for two years. Officers found a "gazebo set up" in an upstairs bedroom with 16 pots with just stubs left as the rest of the cannabis plants had been harvested. There was also 46.33 grams of dry skunk cannabis. The court heard the potential yield of the plants and value of the drugs was about £2,000.



Roberts, aged 47, of Bond Street, Tunstall, who has previous offences for drugs matters including cultivation of cannabis in 2009, pleaded guilty to producing cannabis. Coghlan, of the same address, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to producing cannabis and possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. They accepted there was an element of commercial supply in the growing of the cannabis. Joanne Wallbanks, mitigating for Roberts, asked Recorder Patrick Thompson to give her client a chance.

David Bratt, representing Coghlan, said her role in producing the cannabis was lower than Roberts. He added she acted on the spur of the moment with the firearm. "It was just a foolish act of crass stupidity," added Mr Bratt. As well as the suspended jail terms, Roberts must complete 240 hours' unpaid work and Coghlan must work with alcohol and drug support service Adsis for 12 sessions.