Sheffield Crown Court: Custody for man caught with over 100 cannabis plants at his home

Sheffield Crown Court heard on September 1 how Armandas Kareiva, aged 24, was found with the plants at his home after a police raid.

Officers executed a search warrant, according to prosecuting barrister Nicola Quinney, and found Kareiva at the property as well as a box of cannabis, 104 cannabis plants and cannabis growing equipment.

Judge Sarah Wright said: “Those involved in cannabis growing face prison sentences and the offence is so serious only custody is appropriate.”

Ms Quinney revealed that police found the box of cannabis in the living room and they also found what she described as a “commercial grow” in the attic with 104 cannabis plants.

She added that officers also discovered the electricity had been tampered with at the property and there was cannabis production equipment in two other bedrooms including growing tents and fertiliser.

Lithuanian-speaking Kareiva, of Ewers Road, Kimberworth, who has a previous conviction for exceeding a drug-driving limit, pleaded guilty to producing the class B drug cannabis from between January and April, 2022.

Defence barrister Damian Broadbent told the court Kareiva has already served over four months in prison after he was remanded in custody awaiting his sentence.

Judge Wright sentenced Kareiva to eight months of custody but explained that because he would only be expected to serve half of that time behind bars she anticipated that he would now be released from prison.