Sunderland landlord allowed tenant to grow cannabis for higher rent

Meminad Odise was pulled over by the police for driving a van without insurance on February 4, and officers found remnants of cannabis plants in the vehicle.

Newcastle Crown Court heard a search of the 39-year-old's home at Avondale in Sunderland led police to a second property, in Bright Street in the city, where a cannabis farm was found.

Prosecutor Rachel Butt told the court: "They entered the address and located by the patio doors five bags of cannabis cuttings and a number of cannabis plants over three rooms."

Married dad Odise, who had the assistance of an Italian interpreter in court, admitted being concerned in the production of cannabis and driving without insurance.

Miss Butt told the court: "He accepted his involvement in that he let his address be used for the cultivation of cannabis. In the pre-sentence report he accepts his tenant asked if he could pay more rent if he would let him grow cannabis inside the address."

Miss Butt said Odise accepted he had assisted in the removal of cannabis debris on the day he was stopped by the police.

Leila Taleb, defending, said Odise, who has spent 99 days in custody on remand, has British residency, a good work record in mechanics and car production in Italy and has been self employed in the construction industry in the UK.

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Miss Taleb said Odise has a wife and children who need him and added: "His involvement in this case is out of character."

Miss Recorder Rebecca Brown sentenced Odise to 16 weeks suspended for 12 months. The court heard two men received prison sentences of 23 and 35 weeks at a separate hearing in relation to the cannabis grow.