Man who grew cannabis plants on Bembridge boat has prison time extended

Timothy J Morgan, 53, formerly of Wootton Bridge, appeared in court via video link from HMP Hull, where he is currently serving more than nine years for drug offences, following a conviction in December 2018.

Morgan was one of the first men in the UK to be convicted for producing crystal meth and in 2006 was jailed for ten years.

Morgan was found guilty of two offences — production of a Class B drug and being concerned in the production of a Class B drug.

On July 22, 2016, officers discovered cannabis plants, which had an estimated street value of £56,000.

They also found fans and lighting, and Morgan’s internet search history revealed he had been growing the plants on a commercial scale.

However, the trial was postponed until last year following the discovery of ‘significant amounts of phone evidence’.

In February 2018, officers discovered a further 43 plants growing at a flat in Wootton Bridge where Morgan was registered. Those drugs had an estimated street value of £17,000.

Morgan was charged alongside two other defendants however, while one was given a community order, the charges against the third defendant were dropped.

Judge Roger Hetherington said he did not believe that, had the offences been tried at the same time as Morgan’s current conviction, it would have added a significant amount of jail time to his ‘already significant’ term.

One year was added to Morgan’s sentence for the cannabis plants found growing on the boat, to be served at the end of his term.

An additional year was added for the plants found in the flat, which the judge said was ‘less serious’, and which will be served concurrently.

The same judge previously sentenced Morgan for his crystal meth conviction, 12 years ago.

Judge Hetherington said: “It was part of a long string of drug offences committed by you. I believe had these offences been tried alongside those in December, I think overall, your sentence would have been increased by one year.”