A 37-year-old man has been ordered to pay £16,000 after appearing at Bristol Crown Court following the discovery of a cannabis factory at an industrial estate in Radstock last year.
Matthew Hand, aged 37, of Regency Court in Wells appeared at a confiscation hearing.
This follows his conviction and 15 month jail sentence for production of a controlled drug (cannabis).
At 5pm on 14th February last year, police were called by the landlord of business premises on the Haydon Industrial Estate, Radstock. He had found two rooms that had been built at the rear of the unit which contained a cannabis factory.
The police were called and in one room found a cannabis factory containing 25 plants in various states of harvest and a number of expired plants, giving a total of 38 adult plants.
There were also stalk remains of a previous crop. The second room contained four large hanging netted baskets with compartments containing a large harvest of cannabis bush drying.
On 22nd February Matthew Hand was interviewed and admitted that the cannabis was his and he was growing it for personal use.
He appeared at Bristol Crown Court on 8th September where his story was rejected by HHJ Horton.
Hand, it was said had a carefully constructed cannabis factory using expensive equipment.
He was jailed for 15 months.
The plants, which were in the process of being harvested when they were seized, would be valued as a wholesale quantity for between £7600 – £22,800. The cropped and dried cannabis had a weight of 2,650 grams which equated to a value of £13,250.
The court identified benefit of £16,000 and ordered a confiscation order of the same amount.
Matthew Hand was given three months to pay the order. If he fails then he will face an additional 12 months in prison.
Dr Kirstie Cogram, manager of Avon and Somerset Police’s Financial Investigation Unit said: “We are committed to seizing any assets that criminals have gained as a result of crime.
“It is not acceptable that criminals benefit from illegal activities and we will relentlessly pursue them through the courts to ensure their money is taken.
“By doing this we show criminals that they will not benefit from crime and hopefully deter others from entering a life of crime.”
