Crown Court judge's community orders for drug brothers

Jojo Medford, 25, and Jack Medford, 22, both of Mags Way, in Reading, Berkshire, were each given a 12-month community for possession of 31 cannabis plants in January this year.

Judge Richard Kember, sitting at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, heard that on Sunday, January 7 this year, police were called to Church Road after a member of the public saw the brothers loading the plants into the car.

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While police initially missed the pair, they were caught in the white Volkswagen vehicle they had ‘jammed’ the plants into on the A40 between Gloucester and Cheltenham.

In the car, police found 31 female flowering head cannabis plants with a potential yield of 868- 2.6kg, with a wholesale estimation of between £3,720 and £20,460, stored on the back seat and in the boot.

Prosecutor Alexandra Wilson added that the plants had a potential street value of between £10,850 and £32,550.

The court heard that both men – who have nine siblings – read out a prepared statement at Brecon Police Station where they denied trespassing to take the plants, as well as theft and cultivation before a no-comment interview.

Both defendants pleaded guilty at the lower court in April but sentencing was delayed until now for a pre-sentence report but Ms Wilson called for an aggravated sentence because the number of plants in the car.

The brothers’ early guilty pleas were put forward as mitigation by their respective barristers as well as their employment for a highways company that requires regular drug and drink testing in order to work.

Judge Kember was also alerted to a number of references for Jack Medford, as well as the role he plays in supporting siblings at home, and caring for his elderly grandfather.

Sentencing them, Judge Kember said the size of the haul by police was an aggravating factor, but added that he would not take any previous offending into consideration.

He added: “The offences go back to Jan7 when you were seen loading a car with plants in Knighton but you were stopped.

“The aggravating factors in each of your cases is the large quantity of drugs involved.

“You Jack Medford are of no previous convictions and you Jojo have three convictions but they are not relevant.

“In my judgement there is little between you in previous convictions and I do not aggravate it but I do for the yield of plants.

“This offence is serious offence for a community penalty but not so serious a custodial sentence is required.”

The pair were given a 24-month community order which was reduced to 18 for their mitigation, including youth, plus a further reduction for their guilty plea to 12 months.

They were also ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work and complete 20 rehabilitation activity days.