Disused school used for 'pot' crop

Disused Canterbury school buildings were used for an $87,500-a-year cannabis growing operation, a court was told today.

Darrell Michael Connelly, a 38-year-old stonemason, was jailed for two years and three months for his part in the enterprise when he appeared in the Christchurch District Court today.

His 21-year-old co-offender, Steven Reece Galbraith, a factory hand, had his sentencing delayed until next Tuesday.

Both admitted cultivating cannabis.

Connelly's counsel Tim Fourner acknowledged there was "some level of commerciality" in the operation.

Judge Colin Doherty said police raided disused Darfield School, west of Christchurch, on July 18 and found a storage room lined with insulating plastic and containing 63 cannabis plants growing in pots.

A shed had 10 other plants growing under lights.

The wholesale value of the four crops that could be grown over a year was $87,500.

Judge Doherty said Connelly had several previous drug convictions, including possession of cannabis in 2000 and cultivating the drug in 2003.

He said Connelly could apply from prison to have time added to his sentence to write off his $7500 in unpaid fines.

- NZPA