Maidstone: Father And Son Sentenced On Drugs Charges

A Maidstone man and his son, who grew large amounts of cannabis in their home for more than a year, have been sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court.

Steven Leonard Miller, 51, unemployed from Brewer Street, has been jailed for three years and 10 months. His son, Tyler James Miller, 23, a civil engineer from the same address, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years. He will also have to complete 150 hours' unpaid work and is on a curfew, monitored by a tag, from 8pm to 5am.

The pair pleaded guilty to cannabis cultivation, possession with intent to supply cannabis and abstraction of electricity worth £744. Steven Miller also pleaded guilty to possessing a taser weapon.

Detective Constable Amy Ezzi said:"It has been proven that father and son grew cannabis from at least the beginning of January 2013 until they were caught in April 2014. Steven Miller admitted growing cannabis to help relieve the chronic pain he suffers daily, and also later admitted supplying cannabis to friends of his who also had pain conditions.

"Steven Miller then expanded his cannabis cultivation enterprise to commercial scale at the home address, converting the basement and a bedroom for the purpose. He used his son Tyler to assist him with tending to the plants.

The court heard that police officers searched Steven Miller's three-storey Maidstone home on 17 April this year, after a tip off, where they found a large quantity of cannabis.

A tent was found in the basement containing young cannabis plants, and a bedroom on the third floor had three tents which had fully grown cannabis plants inside. The drugs crop was supported by a significant hydroponics set up that included air conditioning and lighting.

The men were subsequently arrested and charged on 9 July.