OPENING
1. This case is about a sophisticated cannabis farm.

2. Just before Christmas, police acting on a drugs warrant, went to a house in Bolton, where they found a large, sophisticated cannabis operation, which took up the whole of both of the upstairs bedrooms.

3. One of the two rooms had a purpose built growing tent with high powered lights, transformers, and so on.

4. They arrested the tenant who answered the door – John WEED.

5. The defendant – David GREEN – was caught in the farm itself, in one of the two bedrooms - coming out of growing tent.

6. The prosecution say he was in there because he was part of what was going on.

7. He claims he was visiting the tenant – John WEED – he had never been there before – and he went into the growing tent just because he was curious, and that was when the police arrived.

8. When the police tried to arrest him he struggled free, ran out the front door, and jumped a wall. But he was tackled on the street and arrested.

9. He claims that it was not like that – he says he accidentally stumbled backwards into the officer who was arresting him, then panicked and ran.

10. Before I go on there are some things I have to tell you about how a criminal trial works:

11. Firstly the prosecution bring this case and must prove it.

12. You must convict only if you are satisfied so that you are sure, of the defendant’s guilt.

13. You decide the facts in this case, Her Honour will direct you on the law in due course.

14. EXPLAIN INDICTMENT

15. What I say now is not evidence. It is an introduction to the prosecution case.

16. This was Friday 21/12/12 the. The address was 13 Cheese Street.

17. There were 55 cannabis plants divided between the two upstairs bedrooms. Both of the bedrooms had been turned over to grow the plants, with lamps,