Gang guilty of £5M cannabis farm in Cumbria stately home

The cannabis farm with a street value of over £5M was at Flass House, a grade II listed stately home on the outskirts of Maulds Meaburn in Cumbria. 

Four other gang members, including the owner of the house, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to their part in the conspiracy. 

Isla Chilton, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West said: “Today the final four members of this organised drugs gang have been found guilty of their involvement in an extremely large cannabis farm in a quiet village in the heart of Cumbria.

“This was a professional set up, whereby cannabis was being grown in at least 10 rooms in the house. A large diesel generator was bought in to power the electricity needed to maintain the plants in order to avoid unusually high utility bills. 

“The owner of the house, Paul Davies, was paid handsomely for renting it out to the other gang members specifically for the purpose of growing cannabis. 

“The CPS and Police are dedicated to bringing to justice those involved in producing and supplying drugs and will continue to work together using the proceeds of crime act to trace and recover any profits they have made from this illicit enterprise.” 

Individual charges: 

David Lawrence was found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class B 

Philip Branigan was found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class B 

Charles Neophytou was found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class B 

Dean Cameron was found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class B 

Lee Banks pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B and possession of Class B with intent to supply 

Paul Whelan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B and possession of cannabis 

Mark Gallagher pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B, offering to supply class B, possession of Class B with intent to supply, fraudulent evasion of the prohibition on the importation of Class C and abstracting electricity 

Paul Davies pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class B