Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CARER QUIZZED ON CANNABIS FARM IN PATIENT’S CELLAR
Disabled David tells of shock as dope plants found in basement
A CARER is being probed by police who found a cannabis farm in the home of a disabled man he was looking after.
The plants were growing in the cellar – where householder David Huyton was unable to go because of his condition.
Mr Huyton, 30, had noticed strange noises and a funny smell.
And when his electricity bills started to rocket, he called British Gas and told them of his suspicions.
They informed police who found 13 dope plants – with a street value of £20,000 – being grown in the basement under the warmth and light from a bank of electric lamps.
The 43-year-old carer was quizzed by detectives and sacked from his job.
Mr Huyton said: “I couldn’t believe it when I was told my home was being used for a pot farm. I was stunned.”
“I knew something odd was going on but I never pictured this. It started with the noises coming from the basement. There was a lot of humming and crashes. Then I started to smell something funny.”
Mr Huyton, who needs round-theclock support for a condition that restricts his movements, went on: “I have to use crutches to stand and the basement is 16ft below the house, meaning the stairs are very steep.
“I wasn’t able to investigate what was going on down there.” Then his electricity smart meter started racking up huge bills at his terraced house in Winson Green, Birmingham.
Mr Huyton said: “My meter was going into the red constantly. It was on ten pounds on a good day, double on a bad.”
He then found a bag of cannabis worth thousands of pounds dumped behind his settee.
But Mr Huyton was too scared to tell police and the truth only come out when he spoke to his energy supplier about his soaring bills.
“I called British Gas as they had put my account on hold because my bill had run up so high,” he said. “I just couldn’t understand what the reason would be.
“I felt so upset and so it all came out and I told them everything.”
British Gas got suspicious and informed police last November.
It took a month before the specialist cops could remove all of the drug paraphernalia.
The carer under investigation had been employed by a private care agency to help David with his everyday needs.
Last night his bosses refused to comment.
Mr Huyton said: “I’m absolutely devastated. The whole situation has been horrible.”
A spokesman for West Midlands police said: “A total of 13 plants were recovered and a 43-year-old man was voluntarily interviewed.
“Enquiries are ongoing.”