Erith man jailed after cannabis plants discovered in his loft (From News Shopper)

Erith man jailed after cannabis plants discovered in his loft

3:06pm Tuesday 4th September 2012 in News By Alan Woods

AN ERITH man has been jailed after police seized a haul of stolen goods at his home – and then discovered he was growing cannabis in his loft.

Christopher O’Flaherty, aged 44, of Riverdale Road, pleaded guilty to producing the class B drug cannabis resin as well as five counts of handling stolen goods at Woolwich Crown Court on Friday (August 31).

Bexley police officers first visited his address in January this year after executing a search warrant for suspected stolen property.

As well as seizing power tools, a bike and fishing equipment valued at £1,000, burglary squad officers found 36 small cannabis plants.

O’Flaherty was sentenced to 12 months in prison, given a six-month drug rehabilitation order and a nine-month supervision order for producing the drugs.

He was given three months for each count of handling stolen goods to run concurrently, suspended for two years.

Bexley crime manager Detective Chief Inspector Gary Holmes said: “We’re proactively going after those who commit burglary and those in the business of handling stolen goods.

“My burglary squad and all our officers are carrying the fight against crime to the doorsteps of our known offenders. 

“This includes routinely knocking on their doors to remind them constantly that we are watching them.”