A FATHER ran a massive “commercial” cannabis farm in the loft above his four children’s bedrooms in Dundee.
Derek Adam – who was previously jailed for a year after his rottweilers horrifically savaged a 10-year-old girl – had converted his council house into a sophisticated production facility.
He had converted the loft into a growing area and changed a cupboard into an access point to the cultivation – with sophisticated equipment such as light reflectors, transformers and thermometers stashed throughout the house.
Incredibly, Adam had also converted his new wife’s identical house in the same street into an identical hash farm set up.
Officers who raided Adam’s house found 154 plants in the early stages of growth – with a potential street value of up to £24,640 – though no plants were growing at the time at his wife’s home.
Fiscal depute Vicki Bell told Dundee Sheriff Court: “The house was found to contain a vast, established area for cultivating cannabis.
“The cupboard in the front bedroom had been converted to allow access to the loft by ladder.
“During the search of the second house a large amount of cultivation equipment with a similar setup in the loft was also found.”
Adam, 43, of Alloway Terrace, Dundee, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge of producing cannabis at two addresses in Alloway Terrace between May 5 2013 and August 9 2014.
His step-son, Jake Thomson, 26, also of Alloway Terrace, Dundee, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine between the same dates – an offence detected during the same raid.
The court was told the cocaine found in his room had a street value of between £950 and £1900.
Ian Houston, defending Adam, said: “He has full custody of the four children from a previous marriage, and he is now re-married.
“His new wife lives on the same street, he stays at the locus with the four children.
“He has been discharging his parental duties well.”
Sheriff Alastair Brown interjected: “But he’s got a commercial cannabis cultivation in the loft – one which the English guidelines suggest attracts a starting point of four years’ custody.”
Mr Houston added: “He appreciates he faces custody.”
George Donnelly, for Thomson, added: “He lacks a serious criminal record – there are tempering factors in relation to his case.”
Sheriff Alastair Brown deferred sentence until later this month for social work background reports and remanded both men in custody meantime.
He said: “In one case there’s a very deliberate cultivation of a substantial amount of cannabis which is difficult not to regard as commercial.
“In the other, there is dealing in a class A drug.
“Both cases are likely to attract a significant custodial sentence.
“That being so, you will both be remanded in custody.
In January 2012 Adam was jailed for a year after his rottweilers savagely attacked a 10-year-old girl, leaving her horrifically scarred.
Adam’s three rottweilers – adults Fat Boy and Pretty Girl and puppy Rocky – escaped from his ex-partner Sarah Kerr’s home in Dundee’s Linton Road in August last year.
They stalked through nearby streets before Fat Boy and Pretty girl attacked a German Shepherd as it was walked by its owner Sean Gaffney.
The dogs then came across the schoolgirl – who cannot be named for legal reasons – in nearby Dryburgh Street as she cycled towards a relative’s house.
The girl was seen smiling at Rocky before being dragged from her bike into the middle of the road.
The two adult dogs then horrifically mauled her – biting her face, head, neck, arms and legs.
A sheriff blasted Adam at his sentencing hearing in the case – saying he had the animals to “make up for his inadequacies” and had “shown disregard for the law”.
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