Illegal immigrants attacked police when £100,000 Leeds house cannabis farm was uncovered

Ardit Kuta and Ehuljano Guri were jailed for their part in the operation on Montagu Gardens which was was found by chance during a welfare visit by officers on the evening of January 3.

Leeds Crown Court heard that the officers repeatedly knocked on the door at 7.45pm, with 29-year-old Kuta eventually answering. He appeared “nervous” and tried to walk out of the house and past the officers, who stopped him, prosecutor Andrew Stranex said.

Guri then appeared running down the property’s hallway towards them and knocked the officers and Kuta over. A female officer was “spun around” and fell down the stairs leaving her with a blood and swollen nose and lips, a tooth embedded in her gum and suspected ligament damage to her knee.

Guri tried to run off but was tackled by an officer who also suffered injuries in the scuffle. A Taser had to be used to bring Guri under control. Once the pair were in custody, officers conducted a search of the house and found 3.6kgs of dried cannabis in bin bags in a bedroom and 40 cannabis plants growing in the attic.

More than £23,000 in cash was also found. The value of the cannabis was estimated to be between £50,000 and £100,000.

Guri, 27, of no fixed address, admitted production of cannabis, ABH and resisting a police officer. Kuta, of Higson Avenue, Eccles, Greater Manchester, admitted production of cannabis, possessing criminal property, assault on an emergency worker and resisting a police officer. Neither defendant has any previous convictions.

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Mitigating for Kuta, Deborah Smithies said he had come to the UK on the back of a lorry to “make a better life for himself”. She added: “In reality he was in no position to earn a legitimate living so he eventually came to be involved in this. He knows this was wrong and through me offers his apology to the court.”

She said being held on remand had been a “salutary experience” and once he is released is likely to be deported putting him “back to square one”.

For Guri, Craig Sutcliffe said the ABH on the officer was him simply trying to flee the officers rather than throwing punches. He had come to the UK on a boat illegally and added: “He was made a false promise of legitimate work with the construction industry.”

Both defendants had an asylum application rejected. Judge Richard Mansell KC jailed Kuta for 38 months and Guri for 30 months. He said they are both liable to be deported once released.