POLICE have released pictures of two drug growers caught after officers raided a barn at a farm in Herefordshire.

Police found 353 cannabis plants when they raided the farm building near Ross-on-Wye, Worcester Crown Court heard as the pair were jailed.

The two growers, Luke Arnold and Jack Thompson, had been renting the building at Phocle Green Farm, with Arnold using a fake name on documents.

OTHER NEWS:

Judge James Burbidge said both men played a significant role in the growing of cannabis, with plants found in various stages of growth at the farm – including 4.4kg of harvested skunk with a street value of up to £39,000.

Thompson, 34, was also found to have 24 plants at his home in St Denis Road, Birmingham.

After their sentencing hearing at Worcester Crown Court, West Mercia Police has now released custody pictures of the pair.

The judge said it was a commercial cannabis factory and the pair ran a large and well-organised operation which was sophisticated and planned. He said the set-up was found upstairs in a barn.

Want to stay up to date with all the latest court and crime news? It's easy, just click here to join our Hereford Times Court and Crime group on Facebook or click here to sign up for our weekly court and crime email newsletter.

Lee Egan, for Thompson, said he had no previous convictions, was a part-time carer for his daughter and his grandmother was on end-of-life care.

Lucy Taylor, for Arnold, said the 37-year-old, of Fellows Lane, Birmingham, had no relevant or recent convictions and he looked after his son who has mild autism.

She said he had also recently started up a tyre recycling business.

OTHER NEWS:

But the judge said the offences were so serious only a custodial sentence was appropriate.

Thompson was jailed for a total of one year and nine months for two counts of producing class B drug cannabis and one count of possessing criminal property, having been found with £1,155 cash.

Arnold was jailed for the same length of time for one count of producing class B drug cannabis and one count of possessing criminal property, having been found with £530 in cash.