Dad of two rented property to man who used it as cannabis farm

A dad-of-two rented out his former Warrington home to a man who then used it as a cannabis farm, a court heard.

Police called at the property after a strong smell of the drug was reported and they found that two bedrooms had been given over to growing the illegal crop.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today (Tue) that there were 15 large plants in one bedroom and eight slightly smaller plants in the other room.

Derek Jones, prosecuting, said that they had the potential to produce 1.93 kilos of flowering female heads which could have sold on the streets for as much as £22,000.
“There was minimal furniture and a couple items of clothing and in the bathroom some of the goods had been harvested. There were scissors and cannabis leftovers.”
A council tax bill was found in the name of the defendant Tomasz Kiimkiewicz, said Mr Jones.

The electricity meter had been bypassed and after the raid on December 8, 2022, officials from the suppliers estimated that “a 90-day crop” could have cost them £2,300.
When interviewed in February last year the defendant said that he had moved out in September or earlier and confirmed he was still paying the rent.
The 41-year-old, of Cross Street, Orford, pleaded guilty to producing cannabis and abstracting electricity.

Klimkiewicz, who said he could not afford legal representation, today asked for permission to change his pleas but after questioning him this was refused by Judge Andrew Menary, KC, the Recorder of Liverpool.
Klimkiewicz claimed he rented the property out to a man he only knew as Ash and did not have his contact details and did not know the electricity was being stolen.
Asked why he had agreed to rent out the property that he was leaving he replied, “big mistake.” He had earlier told probation that he had thought there were only three or four plants.
The court heard that the defendant has nine previous convictions including receiving a suspended prison sentence in Poland in 2014 for being concerned in supplying Class C drugs.
At the time of his latest offences he was subject of a community order for drink driving and aggravated vehicle taking.

He told the judge that he works in a factory as a carpenter, initially for an agency but has now been given permanent employment. He has two children, the youngest of whom lives with him and his partner.
“I would like to deeply apologise for what happened,” he said, adding that he would be happy to work with probation while being allowed to keep his freedom and job.
Sentencing him Judge Menary told him, “You said you sub-let your property to someone else but you accept at least some knowledge of what was going on.”
He imposed a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered him to carry out 150 hours unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation activity days.