A MAN caught with an £88,000 cannabis crop at his Bradford home has been jailed for two and a half years.

Jhangir Mohammed, 41, of Farcliffe Terrace, Girlington, had seven plants on the third floor of his house and up to 100 more in the cellar.

There were also numerous bin bags filled with unused cannabis, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Mohammed told the police he was growing the drug to make money and then answered no comment to further questions.

He went on to plead guilty to production of cannabis on July 23, 2020.

The court heard that he was “a sole trader” of the cannabis enterprise and that it was valued at £88,628.

Rodney Ferm said in mitigation that Mohammed had admitted the offence straight away at the magistrates’ court.

There had been “a substantial and significant delay” in bringing the case to court and he had committed no offences in the more than 18 months since.

Mohammed, the father of four children, had many family commitments and a very great deal to lose if he was locked up.

He had been laid off work during the coronavirus lockdown and took a wrong turning during that time, Mr Ferm said.

He no longer had a cannabis habit, the court was told, and part of the reason for the grow was to make cannabis oil to help a sick relative.

Recorder Simon Jackson QC said officers attended the address after receiving a 999 call.

They found an efficient cannabis grow with a likely yield of the order of £88,000.

Soon after his arrest, Mohammed told the police: “I’m not a major criminal. I’m just doing it to make some money.”

He had a previous conviction for possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin, having been jailed for 42 months for those offences in 2004.

Recorder Jackson said that was a serious aggravating factor because it showed that Mohammed was familiar with drugs and that had given him the insight to turn to serious criminal behaviour during the lockdown.

“You were a sole trader, this was your operation with the prospect of substantial sums of money and profit,” he said.

References and letters had been handed into court speaking well of Mohammed and the help and support he gave to family members.

But Recorder Jackson said he was guilty of serious criminality and must go straight to prison.