News
Cannabis farm father jailed
AN unemployed father from Maidstone has been jailed for growing cannabis at his home, which his son helped him to water. Maidstone Crown Court heard
Steven Leonard Miller (51) grew cannabis in four tents in a bed- room and the basement at his three-storey home in Brewer Street. The crop was supported by a hydroponics set- up with air con-
ditioning and lighting. The court heard the pair had been growing cannabis for at least a year before being caught on April 17 this year, following a police tip-off, when the housewas searched. Steven Miller first admitted grow-
ing cannabis for personal pain relief and later for friends in pain. How- ever, DC Amy Ezzi said Steven Miller then expanded his cannabis cultivation enterprise to a “commer- cial scale”, with his civil engineer
son Tyler (23) helping him tend the plants. The court heard a large quantity
of cannabis was found at the prop- erty and £1,650 cash seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Confis- cation proceedings are continuing. The pair pleaded guilty to cannabis cultivation, possession with intent to supply and abstrac- tion of £744 of electricity. Steven Miller also admitted possessing a taser. Steven Miller was jailed for three
years and 10 months and Tyler Miller for 20 months, suspended for two years. Tyler Miller will also have to complete 150 hours’unpaid work and observe a curfew, moni- tored by a tag, from 8pm to 5am. DC Ezzi added: “The sentences
reflect the seriousness of this of- fence. Cannabis is illegal, no matter the reasons for consuming it, and the cultivation and supply of cannabis will not be tolerated. “I would urge anyone who sus-
pects that they know of a location where cannabis is being cultivated to call Kent Police.”
Town rocks to Mela rhythm Continued from page one
now the largest culturally diverse arts festival in Kent. It featured talented local singing
trio Imminent, the Kitka Bulgarian Folk Dance Group, Bollywood Blast, Gypsy Stars and the Cohesion Plus produced “Afro-Bhangra Fusion”. The headline act was award- winning singer Ruby Turner. In addition, there weremore than 50 stalls selling food and products from around the world, with information stands provided by public and voluntary sector partners. The event is organised in partnership by Maidstone Borough Council, Cohesion Plus and Kent Equality Cohesion Council.
Gurvinder Sandher, artistic
director of the Mela, said: “I have been working on the Mela since its inception in 2003 and this year was our biggest attendance to date.
“The Maidstone Mela has
evolved into one of the biggest culturally diverse celebrations in Kent and underlines how the arts can be used to bring different communities together. “The Mela is now an established
date in the Maidstone diary and has grown somuch since its inception and we are very grateful to the on-going support being provided by all partners, volunteers and the local community for enabling this to happen.”
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6 Maidstone Town October 2014
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