An OAP pretended a £400,000 cannabis farm was a bouncy castle hire business.

James Anthony, 72, leased an industrial unit in Bootle which he claimed to the owner was a base for his bouncy castle business.

In reality the pensioner was working with gardener Leon Single to grow drugs so he could pay off his debts to the court for a previous drug conviction.

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Liverpool Crown Court heard the pair lost thousands of pounds after a fire broke out at the farm, destroying the cannabis.

Cheryl Mottram, prosecuting, said police were called to Lodwick Street in Bootle at about 9pm on October 13, 2019 because two men were seen wearing balaclavas in the area.

While hunting for the masked men officers "could smell cannabis emanating from a building" and on approach could "hear movement from inside".

They found Single, 47, who "appeared nervous" and had three bags in his hand, one of which contained a planting tray.

Officers found 326 cannabis plants and 427 grams of female flowering head valued between £6,180 and £9,270.

Ms Mottram said the value of a potential yield was between £295,000 and £443,000.

At Anthony's home address officers found 1,610 grams of cannabis resin valued at between £16,100 and £24,100.

Leon Single worked as a gardener at a huge cannabis farm in Wirral alongside James Anthony

She said the industrial unit had been hired by Anthony in the name of the company Open Air Leisure Limited.

Single's most recent previous conviction was for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order in 2019, for which he was handed an eight month sentence suspended for two years.

Ms Mottram said Anthony had some previous convictions relating to drugs and in 2003 received a six year sentence for conspiracy to supply Class A.

Charles Lander, defending Anthony, said during one of the first cultivation periods of the cannabis farm there had been a fire which "might be down to the skills, or not skills, of the defendant".

Mr Lander said Anthony was using the money to pay off a court order as a result of his previous conviction for conspiring to supply Class A drugs.

He said Anthony, of Vyner Close, Bidston, was "effectively robbing Peter to pay Paul" and "committing further offences to pay the old Proceeds of Crime Act".

The court heard he still owes £6,500 as part of his old conviction.

Mr Lander said there was a character reference from Anthony's 95-year-old aunt who he helps to care for.

Mark Philips, defending Single, said he has worked but following his conviction for molesting two small children he had "found it extremely difficult to find himself work and keep jobs".

Mr Philips said Single, of Scarisbrick Avenue, Southport, had also been "ostracised somewhat from society".

He said money wasn't Single's main reason for committing the offence, adding he did it because he was "short of friends" and "unfortunately found himself in the wrong company and because of that finds himself before the courts today".

Mr Philips said Single also accepts he is in breach of a suspended sentence order.

He asked the judge to consider that he had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and said he is remorseful and wants to change his life.

Mr Philips said it had been two years since Single had committed any offence and urged the judge to suspend any sentence of imprisonment.

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Both Anthony and Single admitted one count of producing a Class B drug.

Anthony also admitted possession with intent to supply cannabis.

Judge David Potter, sentencing, said it was a "large, sophisticated cannabis farm" at an industrial premises leased by Anthony "under the guise of your bouncy castle hire business".

The judge said Single had no relevant previous convictions but was financially motivated as he was paid a daily wage as a gardener.

Sentencing Anthony, Judge Potter said his previous conviction for drug trafficking was an aggravating feature.

Anthony was jailed for three years and two months while Single was jailed for one year.

The judge told Single "appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate imprisonment".

A Proceeds of Crime Application hearing for Anthony was set for December 23.
