Tarvin cannabis farm case collapses at Chester Crown Court after prosecution witness changes mind and juror admits knowing defendant

Jun 11 2009 by Ben Coulbeck, Chester Chronicle

TWO people were found not guilty of producing £5,500 worth of cannabis after the case against them collapsed.

Appearing at Chester Crown Court yesterday, Duncan Hine, 32, from Kelsall, was found not guilty of possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

Co-defendant Victoria Healey, of Tarvin, was found not guilty of knowingly permitting the production of cannabis at her house on Heath Close.

The defendants were acquitted of those charges after a prosecution witness, forensic scientist David Harrison, arrived at court five hours late before changing his opinion.

The court heard how Mr Harrison had not been shown photographs of plants discovered by police after a raid at Miss Healey’s Tarvin home on May 21 last year.

On review of the photographs, Mr Harrison decided it could not be proved whether Mr Hine had any intent to supply drugs to others.

Hine will now be sentenced at Chester Crown Court on July 6 after admitting cultivating and possessing cannabis.

In response to the case collapsing, Judge Roger Dutton said: “It is a shambles.”