Hornchurch man grew cannabis factory to repay drug debt

David Haynes, of Nelwyn Avenue, Hornchurch, had almost £70,000 worth of cannabis plants produced on the day when officers executed a warrant at an outbuilding near a house in South End Road.

Haynes owned the property but rented out the house.

He visited the place five times between December 29, 2023, and January 21, 2024 – each time arriving in his van and leaving hours later with several cardboard boxes.

Police later discovered that Haynes paid over £58,000 into a mortgage account in December 2023, in addition to another £38,000 made over two payments within the previous year.

After his arrest, Haynes claimed he was growing the plants to repay a drug debt.

During a search on January 22 that year, officers found almost 6,000 sapling cannabis plants in one room and in a second room 122 larger plants.

The rooms were specially adapted to cultivate the plants with air circulation fans, lighting timers, oil filled radiators and reflective insulation boards.

The cannabis found in Hornchurch (Image: Essex Police) There were also 12 lighting units, worth over £1,000, sat along the gardening products.

Haynes was immediately arrested on suspicion of drug production at 7.35am.

He has been sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, for cannabis production after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing.

Haynes will have to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and comply with a rehabilitation requirement of 30 days.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Megan Tighe, said:  “The drug expert witness attended the cannabis production on the day of the warrant and gave an estimated value of almost £70,000.

“It was a very sophisticated set up and was well established – it was evident that cuttings were being taken from the larger plants to make new ones.

“David Haynes couldn’t explain where the money for the significant mortgage overpayments came from.

“It is more likely than not, that the money Haynes paid into his mortgage account could have come from his unlawful drug growing enterprise.

“Drugs are a menace to society, and we won’t standby to let the drugs from cannabis growths like this to hit the streets where it could cause harm within our neighbourhoods.”