A MAN has been jailed but his former partner has escaped immediate custody after they set up a cannabis factory in the cellar of a house in Hereford.


Kevin Strangwood, aged 32, and 36-year-old Lisa Hardman, both ran “cut-throat” defences in which each of them blamed the other - but a jury found them both guilty of growing ten plants at the home they shared in Windsor Street.

Hardman had invited Strangwood, of Old School Lane, College Estate, to share her house three months before police discovered the plants on December 22, 2014.


He was found with the key to her house in his pocket when police caught him in possession of a syringe full of heroin.

Scott Coughtrie, prosecuting, told a sentencing hearing at Worcester Crown Court the ten plants were each capable of producing 45 grams of cannabis worth a total of £4,500 at
street level.


Police also found £1,840 in cash but there was no evidence of any dealing, he said. The pair were found guilty by a jury on May 27.

Robert Morgan-Jones, defending Hardman, said she had “clearly made a huge mistake” and the case had been hanging over her for 18 months, though she had contributed
to that by denying the offence.

He said she had not been in trouble since and had carried on working.

Niall Skinner, for Strangwood, said he had been a heroin addict at the time but was now free of drugs.

He has a new partner and was involved in looking after his son from a previous relationship.


“He is capable of living a law-abiding and useful life far removed from the drug addict he once was,” Mr Skinner said.

Recorder Allan Mainds said the jury had rejected the “cut-throat” defences each one had run.

“You took a risk when you set up this little cannabis growing factory in the cellar of this house,” he told them.

He said they were both equally involved but Hardman was of previous good character and had a very good job, which made it unlikely she would offend again.

She was given a six-month sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work.

Strangwood, he said, had a bad record and because of that it would have to be an immediate sentence of six months in jail.

He has already served three weeks in custody on remand.