POLICE recovered cannabis worth almost �10,000 after arresting a man who had been on the run for seven years.
Joseph Wardle was detained in Barthomley Street, Birches Head, on January 10 last year and was found to be in possession of a holdall which contained a dealer's list.
Police also recovered �1,145.95 in cash when they searched Wardle, pictured, at the police station as well as a key to a house in Leigh Street, Burslem.
Officers used the key to enter the house and could immediately smell cannabis. They found a total of 61 cannabis plants in two upstairs bedrooms.
Prosecutor David Bennett yesterday told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court that officers also recovered a roll of cling film, three sets of digital scales, small plastic bags and five mobile phones.
"Two containers containing 867 grams of cannabis vegetation were also recovered from the front bedroom," said Mr Bennett.
"The loft area was partly prepared as a growing space with large lamps and a water duct.
"And 3.02 grams of cannabis was recovered from the living room."
The court was told the electricity meter had been bypassed and the landlord had to spend �700 to deal with the mess and damage. Wardle's fingerprints were recovered from inside the property.
Mr Bennett said the estimated yield from the plants, which were six to eight weeks from maturity, was 109 grams of skunk cannabis with a street value of �1,090.
The 867 grams of skunk cannabis was valued at �8,670 and the 3.02 grams of cannabis was worth �15.10.
Wardle answered no comment to all questions in his police interview.
The court heard when Wardle was arrested he had been at large for about seven years for drugs matters.
He had been arrested in 2003 for possession of ecstasy tablets with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of cannabis in Sheffield. And he was found to be in possession of �47,640 cash in Hammersley Street, Birches Head. He was sentenced in May last year to 42 months in prison for those matters.
Wardle, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to producing 61 cannabis plants, possessing 3.02 grams of cannabis vegetation and possessing 867 grams of cannabis vegetation with intent to supply.
Owen Edwards, mitigating, said Wardle has already been sentenced for the 2003 drugs offences and for absconding.
He asked Judge Robert Trevor-Jones not to add to the sentence Wardle is currently serving. The court heard the defendant is due for release in November 2012.
The judge sentenced Wardle to a total of three years to run concurrently with the sentence he is serving.
He said: "This was a house given over to the production of cannabis. The yield potential, it was at an advanced stage, was in the order of over 100 grams with a street value of over �1,000.
"And that with the other cannabis vegetation in combination had a street value of almost �10,000, a substantial amount."
Judge Trevor-Jones added: "I take the point that in the overall context of enterprises such as this it was not the most sophisticated.
"But these are serious matters. They demand an immediate custodial sentence."
Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the judge ruled Wardle benefited from his criminality by �8,523.05 and he made a confiscation order for the available amount of �1,145.95.
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