When police turned up at Emma Carters house, she blamed a sunbed for the humming sound – coming from a cannabis farm inside the property.
The police were initially there looking for someone, and she said it was her daughter in the tanning bed when questioned about the noise.
The officers didn’t believe her though, as they could smell the plants, and checked inside the house where they found 20 plants of “skunk” and all the equipment to grow and maintain the plants.
The mum of two from Manchester, aged 41, initially said they were for medicinal, personal use, but then admitted she was in debt to her ex boyfriend, who made her host the farm in her house to repay the debt.
The plants were described as “mature.”In a statement, she said: “I was put under pressure to allow others to set up and farm at my house due to debts I owed to my former partner Anthony Sheffield who was in prison at the time.
”I was not responsible for taking care of the plants and I was not going to receive any financial benefit.”
In court, she was given a 18 month community order and was saved a prison sentence after she admitted to growing the cannabis in her home.
Her ex boyfriend was already in prison when the farm was discovered, as wasn’t charged with any offences.
Prosecutor Miss Simone Flynn said: “On 28 December 2018 police attended her home address in Salford looking for a wanted man in relation to an unrelated matter.
“They went upstairs and could hear the sound of humming coming from the bedroom and a strong smell of cannabis. The defendant claimed her daughter was using a sunbed.
“Police were allowed access went inside and it was clearly a cannabis farm.
“They found 20 plants of some maturity between 75 and 100cm in height with a potential yield of 1,490 and 1,624kg. The value would be between £14,900 and £16,240 in street deals. The defendant was arrested and said the plants were hers for medical use.
“Police accepted her basis of plea. Her last conviction is from January 2019 where she received a community order for failing to ensure her child attends regularly at school. The prosecution ask for forfeiture and destruction of the drugs. She appears to fall within a lesser role and there was some pressure or coercion.”
The judge acknowledged she had difficulties in her life and in past relationships, and, as mentioned before, decided to spare her prison time. The sentencing was rather generous considering the amount of cannabis seized, but the circumstances allowed for such a lenient sentence to be imposed upon her.
