Retried Russian Army major, 65, who set up £470,00 cannabis factory with 575 plants in his home just six months after arriving in Britain is jailed for nearly two years
- Stasys Jankauskas had to sleep downstairs because plants took up bedrooms
- 65-year-old also had lights fans and timers at his rented home in Nottingham
- He was jailed for one year and a nine months and warned he could be deported
Stasys Jankauskas, 65 (police mugshot) and his wife had to sleep downstairs because the 575 plants took up all four bedrooms of their rented house in Bestwood, Nottingham
A retired Russian Army major who moved to Britain a year ago faces deportation after he was jailed for having nearly 600 cannabis plants in his house.
Lithuanian national Stasys Jankauskas, 65, and his wife had to sleep downstairs because the 575 plants took up all four of the bedrooms.
During a police raid of their rented property in Bestwood, Nottingham in February, officers found enough of the Class B drug to sell for £475,000 on the street, as well as fans, lights, timers and self-watering systems to help the plants grow.
He was jailed at Nottingham Crown Court for 21 months and warned he could be ordered to leave the UK on his release.
Judge Gregory Dickinson QC told him: ‘You have achieved much in life, particularly as a soldier. This was a significant fall from grace.’
He also warned of the dangers of the drug, adding: ‘One reason is the damage done to the mental health of young people in this city and county with the use of high strength cannabis.
‘Mental health has been damaged, serious mental health problems are either caused or aggravated by the use of cannabis.
‘There is the violence that can come with it. It is often not police who raid the properties, it is offenders, people with weapons and balaclavas, coming to steal someone’s cannabis. It is a very serious concern.’
He was jailed at Nottingham Crown Court (pictured) for 21 months and warned he could be ordered to leave the UK on his release
Jankauskas admitted production of cannabis between December last year and February 2019. He also pleaded guilty to abstracting electricity.
Jon Fountain, prosecuting, told the court Jankauskas had been paid £300 weekly to allow the crop in his home.
He said: ‘Plainly he involved himself for monetary and commercial advantage.
‘All four bedrooms were used, forcing him to sleep downstairs as a consequence.’
Jankauskas came to the UK to find work in June last year.
David Watts, defending, said: ‘He was retired and living purely on his military pension of about 350 euros a month.
‘His wife was working 11 hours a day, six days a week, and earning £200, not bringing a significant amount of money.
‘The defendant was offered the opportunity to grow cannabis and foolishly took it up. I accept it was a financial motivation.’
A previous hearing was told Jankauskas has no previous convictions and ‘an exemplary military record’.
Jankauskas, who followed proceedings with the help of a Lithuanian interpreter, had around 400 of the plants in propagators, the court heard.
Equipment was delivered to the house and he was told to search the internet to find out how to look after the plants.
Mr Watts added that while in custody awaiting sentence, Jankauskas had been going to English classes and also joined a course to learn ‘construction skills.’
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