A man who helped set up a cannabis grow at a Lincoln home where police found drugs worth over £400,000 was given a suspended jail sentence on Tuesday.
Ahmad Muslim, 35, admitted delivering cannabis growing equipment to the house on Monks Road where a modern slave was used to garden the crop over a two month period.
Lincoln Crown Court heard police later seized 533 cannabis plants with a weight of 45kg from the property.
The house was one of four properties in Lincoln where cannabis was found, along with one further house in Middlesbrough.
But Adam Pearson, prosecuting, said Muslim’s only link to the drugs conspiracy was a limited role at the Monks Road address.
Mr Pearson said Muslim’s involvement began in October 2018 when he sent a message to a friend suggesting they set up a ‘grow house’.
In February 2019 Muslim drove from London to a hydroponic store in Wakefield with another friend and collected cannabis growing equipment which they delivered to the house in Monks Road.
Mr Pearson said that grow was gardened by a modern slave and estimated to have a street value of £417,000 when it was found by police.
Further investigations showed that in 2017 Muslim sent a photo of cannabis spread across the floor of his office to a friend.
During interview Muslim claimed he was only a delivery driver and did not know anything about the Monks Road grow.
Simon Grouchy, mitigating, said Muslim was a hard working man who would lose his car business if he was jailed.
Mr Grouchy added: “He comes from a good family who are at a loss to why he became involved.”
Muslim, of Halsway, Hillingdon, London, admitted two offences of conspiring to supply cannabis and offering to supply cannabis.
He was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months and must obey an electronically monitored curfew between 8pm and 6am for five months. He must also complete ten rehabilitation sessions.
Passing sentence Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight said she accepted the offer from Muslim to supply cannabis from his office was a stupid act of bravado.
The judge added: “He is clearly a hard working man who has done something incredibly stupid with a friend who was already immersed in that world.”
Meanwhile, five members of a gang that operated multi-million pound cannabis grows in Lincoln and Middlesbrough were jailed for a total of 22 years last month.
Muslim was only connected to the Monks Road address and no other properties.
One of the gang, Thuy Phan, recently had her assets confiscated after a hearing at Lincoln Crown Court.
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We are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a collision caused serious injuries to a 23-year-old man.
Just before 3.30pm yesterday (2 July), we received reports of a collision on Barholm Road in Tallington. It involved a grey BMW 335D estate, a blue BMW 116D and an orange KTM motorcycle.
The motorcycle rider, a 23-year-old man, sustained serious injuries during the collision and was taken to hospital.
If you witnessed the incident and are yet to get in touch with us, please do so. If you have any other information or dashcam footage available that may have captured the road along the A1175 at the time of the collision, get in touch.
By calling 101 quoting incident 282 of 2 July.
By emailing [email protected] quoting incident 282 of 2 July in the subject line.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can report via the independent charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.
The 2022 Destination Lincolnshire Tourism Excellence Awards are open for applications, and Destination Lincolnshire giving you the rare chance to co-create your application with Nell Barrington, a tourism awards veteran, who has helped hundreds of businesses write winning applications over the last 15 years – including national VisitEngland winners.
The Tourism Awards Masterclass is taking place on Tuesday 12 July at 11am for one-hour online. Laura Freer, Head of Marketing at Destination Lincolnshire said: “This is a golden opportunity, after years of hard work and heartache, to get your business and team recognised and rewarded.
“A well written application is key to achieving a coveted place on this year’s shortlist, and I’d encourage all tourism and visitor economy businesses who are thinking of entering – whether they are seasoned at writing award applications or not – to join us for this exclusive masterclass.
“Nell Barrington has worked with us and VisitEngland on the founding application processes of these awards, and she is perfectly placed to assist in co-creating applications that you can be proud of. This is a great opportunity for business development too – whether you are shortlisted for an award or not – discovering how to effectively apply for awards and talk up your business adds another string to your bow.
“Booking is essential and places are limited to just 35 – so be quick! This year we’ve made our masterclass available to partners and also to those who we are yet to work with for free. Call it an added bonus, after two years away from the awards circuit.
The awards masterclass is focussed on the application process, and it will spell out what the judges are looking for. You’ll learn how to make your application stand out from the local competition, helping your chances of going through to the national VisitEngland Awards in 2023.”
There are fifteen categories open for nominations from visitors attraction, accommodation providers, hospitality businesses and many more.
The deadline for nominations is July 29, with online judging starting on July 30 and mystery shopping from August 13. Finalists will be announced on Monday, August 15.
The awards ceremony will be held at the Engine Shed on October 21, and will be hosted by Lincs FM presenter, John Marshall.
The event is organised by Stonebow Media, publishers of The Lincolnite, to celebrate the best businesses in Greater Lincolnshire, alongside headline sponsors Lincoln College and Destination Lincolnshire.
We would also like to thank our other sponsors Visit Lincolnshire, Heart of Lincs, Duncan and Toplis and LNER, insight6 and EV Camel.
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