Cannabis charge denied

Detectives noted almost 600 cannabis plants in a Strathaven industrial unit with the potential to realise between £115,800 and £347,400, a court heard this week.

Footage was shown to a jury at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Tuesday of a police survey of Unit 3A Hamilton Road Industrial Estate taken on January 29, 2014, on the first day of the trial of Alastair Ash, of Lethame Road in the town.

Ash (47) pleaded not guilty to charges of producing the drug, and being concerned in its supply, at the unit between September 1, 2013, and January 29, 2014. He also lodged a special defence stating evidence would be led to incriminate Colin Dunsmore.

The footage showed detective constable John Hose touring the unit, pointing out equipment used in the cultivation of cannabis which included plastic piping, ballast boxes, light bulbs and fans.

It also showed a purpose-built structure made of wood and plastic which spanned threequarters of the unit’s ground floor. This, said detective constable Hose, would be used for growing cannabis plants.

Upstairs in office accommodation were trays of small cannabis plants being grown under fluorescent light. There were also more mature plants and growing solutions in the kitchen.

Questioned by fiscal depute Callum Forsyth on Tuesday, detective constable Kenny Foy of the Police Scotland stock unit – who had also surveyed the unit that day – agreed with his colleague’s remarks on the film.

He said the cultivation in the unit was“large scale”and not comparable to that found in a residential home.

He added that the structure on the ground floor had been built by someone“very skilled”to “maximise the growing area for plants”.

DC Foy estimated that the cost of setting up the cultivation was between £20,000 to £30,000.

Mr Forsyth said it was a matter of agreement there were 579 plants in total, and DC Foy accepted DC Hose’s assessment that each plant could fetch between £200 and £600.

The plants were therefore valued at between £115,800 and £347,400.

The trial before Sheriff Alasdair Macfadyen was continuing yesterday (Wednesday).