Two Harrogate businessmen who embarked on a huge cannabis-growing enterprise at industrial sites in Ripon have been spared jail.

Oliver Hawksworth, 40, and Adam Morgan, 41, were arrested after police raided two industrial units in the Ripon area.

Prosecutor Emily Hassell said the first police raid was at a unit on Juniper Grove Business Park on March 12, 2021, following a tip-off that the premises were being used as a cannabis farm.

Officers found 70 plants grown in two separate rooms. Most of these were immature plants which were kept in the “nursery room”.

Ms Hassell said the total estimated yield of two kilos would have been worth up £20,000 if sold in kilos, or up to £28,400 if sold in ounces.

Morgan, the leaseholder for the unit, was arrested at his home later that day and told police: 

Hawksworth was arrested at his home on the same day when police seized £1,030 cash, two mobile phones and a “marijuana-growers’ handbook”.

They also found tubs of cannabis, three large “drug-type” containers which were empty but smelled strongly of the Class B drug, four pairs of plant cutters and plastic sheeting.

Investigations also revealed that Hawksworth had links to another industrial unit in Fishergreen, Ripon.

The following day, police searched a unit at the industrial estate and found 68 cannabis plants, including 30 mature plants and others which were part of a “follow-up” crop in a separate room. The grows were found at the back of the unit which had been set up as a workshop.

The estimated yield of just over three kilos would have been worth up to £31,000 if sold in kilos, or £42,800 if sold in ounces.

Morgan, who had nothing to do with this grow, admitted he had been involved in the other cannabis factory in Juniper Grove, telling officers his other, legitimate business had fallen on hard times due to the covid pandemic.

 Ms Hassell said:

The two businessmen appeared for sentence today (Friday, August 9) after Hawksworth, of Low Gate Lane, Sawley, admitted two counts of being concerned in the production of cannabis and Morgan, of Comfrey Close, Harrogate, admitted one count of the same offence.

Ms Hassell said Hawksworth had four previous convictions for offences including conspiracy to supply cannabis and possessing cocaine.

He was given a suspended prison sentence in June 2013 for the drug-supply offence but breached this by further offending and going to a barbecue instead of attending probation work.

Morgan had a hitherto clean record.

Defence barrister Oliver Connor claimed that Hawksworth had set up the cannabis farms primarily to feed his own habit. 

He said Hawksworth had a “history of drug abuse” and his latest offences had led to the breakdown of his marriage.

Since his arrest for the cannabis plot, Hawksworth had set up a new, regionwide business designing and installing luxury fireplaces.

Morgan, a married father-of-two, had fallen on lean times with his legitimate business during covid and believed that getting involved in cannabis production was “his only option” to get out of the financial slump and provide for his family.

Judge explains suspended sentences

Judge Simon Hickey said that despite the “significant” amount of cannabis plants discovered, and the potential lucrative profits, he had decided to take the unusual step of suspending the inevitable jail sentence for both men.

He said the main reasons were the long delay in the case reaching court, during which time they had both stayed out of trouble, and the “vast overcrowding” in the region’s jails.

He also cited their caring responsibilities as fathers, the positive character references and the fact that Hawksworth was in a stable new relationship.

The judge said if he had been sentencing them “nearer the time (of the offences)” they would have been sent to jail.

Hawksworth was given a two-year suspended jail sentence with 200 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation-activity days.

Morgan received a 20-month suspended prison sentence and ordered to complete a 20-day rehabilitation programme, a six-month alcohol-treatment course and 150 hours’ unpaid work.