Judge asks why case took five years to come to court

POLICE SNIFFED OUT CANNABIS ON CALL TO DOMESTIC INCIDENT

A JUDGE has questioned why a prosecution for cannabis growing took almost five years to come to court.

In response the prosecutor admitted the police had taken three years to bring the case to Derby Crown Court and that for the past two years they did not know where the defendant, Jacek Reluga, was living.

Then, after being asked for the cannabis that was found to be destroyed, Judge Shaun Smith QC joked “I hope the drugs have died in the last five years”.

Jonathon Dee, prosecuting, said police were called to an address in Boyer Street, Derby, on August 19, 2016.

He said: “This was a chance find by the police who were responding to an allegation of domestic violence involving a codefendant.

“When they entered the property there was a strong smell of cannabis and in a room upstairs there was a growing area under two small tents.

“That was found to contain 38 plants which were around a month away from cultivation.

“The co-defendant told officers he was helping a friend and while the police were there this defendant arrived. He was searched and found to have on him a small bag of amphetamine, a small bag of heroin and a small bag of cannabis paste. These were all small amounts consistent with personal use.

“In his interview he said he was a drug addict and that he was buying from a particular dealer who had asked him to help out by growing some cannabis himself.”

Reluga, 47 and who has no previous convictions of any kind, pleaded guilty to production of cannabis, possession of heroin. amphetamine and the cannabis paste.

The hearing was told that his codefendant was handed a suspended sentence in 2019 of his part in the offending.

When Judge Smith indicated he would be handing a similar sentence to Reluga, his barrister, Errol Ballantyne said he had nothing further to add in mitigation.

Handing Reluga, of Lime Avenue, Breadsall Hilltop, a six-month sentence, suspended for a year, he said: “Five years ago, three years of which was due to a police investigation, you were involved in drugs.

“This is a long, long, time ago and you got involved in growing cannabis at some else’s address. But since then you have sorted yourself out not offended before and not offended since.

“You have clearly rehabilitated yourself.”

This is a long, long, time ago and you got involved in growing cannabis.

Judge Shaun Smith QC