Curzons Nightclub owner jailed for growing cannabis

Paul Turner has been jailed for two years for growing cannabis at his nightclub.

A NIGHTCLUB owner was found to be growing cannabis in the attic of his bar which could have been sold for up to £27,000.

Paul Turner, the former proprietor of Curzons Nightclub, has now been jailed for two years.

He said he started the enterprise after he realised he had taken on a struggling business and had money problems. The bar had "rapidly turned to something of a millstone around his neck", Derby Crown Court was told.

Police discovered a secret door that led to the roof space of the property in Curzon Street, Derby, after they turned up for a routine licensing inspection.

In the attic was a sophisticated set-up and 71 young cannabis plants.

Jailing Turner, Judge Jonathan Gosling said: "You have never been in trouble before and you are now 46 and it's come to this for reasons I well understand - you were driven to pretty desperate measures."

But he added: "For a commercial operation like this, I cannot avoid a prison sentence."

Prosecutor David Outterside said the attic walls and ceiling had been insulated, there were fans and an irrigation system. There were also seven 500-watt lamps set up on timers.

Mr Outterside said: "About half the power to the building was being obtained illegally. The meter had been bypassed supplying the growing rooms."

He said the police's drugs expert had estimated that the cannabis plants could have produced up to 150oz of the drug and sold for between £9,000 and £27,000.

The court heard that Turner, of Elmtree Avenue, Sinfin, had shown the police where the drugs were and had owned up straight away.

He admitted producing cannabis and illegally abstracting electricity.

David Munro, speaking for Turner, said the cannabis venture had only been recently set up when officers found it and was his client's first attempt at growing the drug.

He said: "He had worked at the club for some considerable time when he had the opportunity to become proprietor of the business. What he did not know until he took it over was that it was making little or no profit. The business rapidly turned to something of a millstone around his neck and ended up last year only operating for two nights a week."

Mr Munro said Turner had owed money "everywhere" and struggled each month to pay the rent for his home. "And there lies the motivation for what was his downfall," he said.

He had received advice, equipment and help from others in setting up the growing operation. Mr Munro said: "These plants had been grown from cuttings and in the view of the expert were probably no more than a few days old when police examined the premises. There was no history of growing there - it was plainly a first attempt."

He said Turner had used the drug for a long time to alleviate pain. "He has significant problems with his legs and mobility at times," added Mr Munro.

"He has had some 18 operations. He has problems with his knees which stem from his involvement with football as a youth."

The court heard that Turner cared for his wife who was "extremely unwell".

Derby City Council's licensing sub-committee allowed Curzons to stay open following the transfer of the bar's licence to someone else.

http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk 18/05/2014