Crime

Trio jailed over cannabis farm ordered to pay back just £1 each

Published

1 year ago

May 26, 2025

THREE men jailed for running a large-scale cannabis farm inside a disused school in Llandysul have been ordered to pay back just £1 each, after being found to have no assets available for confiscation.

Armeld Troksi, Njazi Gjana and Ervin Gjana were caught when Dyfed-Powys Police raided the former primary school on Heol Y Fran in November 2024. Officers discovered 819 cannabis plants being cultivated across three floors in what was described as a “highly sophisticated” grow operation. The drugs seized were estimated to have a street value of up to £620,000.

At the scene, Troksi was found hiding in a toilet with dried cannabis stuck to him. Njazi Gjana told officers: “This is the first time I’ve ever done anything like this,” while 25-year-old Ervin Gjana tried to flee over a fence but was tracked down by a drone and arrested on a nearby road.

All three men pleaded guilty to producing cannabis. Troksi, 29, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison. The Gjana cousins, both of Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, received two-and-a-half years each. At sentencing, the court heard they were in the UK illegally.

Gjana claimed he had been promised £6,000 to harvest cannabis but had not been paid. He said he had arrived in the UK ten years ago in a lorry from France and had been working in the construction trade. Troksi said he had been pressured into working on the farm to repay a debt and was “genuinely scared.”

The three men returned to Swansea Crown Court on May 19 for a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing, where Judge Huw Rees initially adjourned the case so the defendants—who were unrepresented—could seek legal advice. “I hope they realise that I’m doing this in fairness to them,” he told the court.

When the matter returned on May 23, it was agreed the men had jointly benefited from their criminal activity to the sum of £458,500. However, as they had no assets to seize, Judge Paul Thomas KC imposed nominal confiscation orders of £1 each.

“You will serve up to half of your sentence,” Judge Thomas said during sentencing. “What happens thereafter is a matter for the immigration authorities.”

Pictured above:

Cannabis factory: 819 plants were found inside the former school building in Llandysul (Pic: Dyfed-Powys Police).

Crime

Spittal man to stand trial accused of ABH

Published

21 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Court Reporter

A SPITTAL man is to stand trial accused of assaulting a man and causing actual bodily harm.

Robert Hedley, 41, of Wesley Way, Spittal, Haverfordwest, is charged with assaulting Liam Morley-Trivett at St Clears on August 30, 2025.

The case was before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Jun 18).

Hedley was granted unconditional bail and is due to stand trial at the same court on Monday, June 29.

The trial is listed for 10:00am and has been given a time estimate of twenty minutes.

Crime

Milford Haven woman spared jail despite string of shop thefts

Published

21 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Court Reporter

Repeat offender stole from Tesco, Home Bargains, Food Warehouse and petrol stations in wave of offences

A MILFORD HAVEN woman who admitted a series of shop thefts committed over a matter of weeks has been handed a suspended prison sentence by magistrates.

Marion Picton, aged 46, of Hawthorn Path, Milford Haven, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Jun 18) and pleaded guilty to eight theft offences and a drugs-related offence.

The court heard that Picton carried out a string of thefts at stores across Milford Haven between April and June this year.

Among the offences, Picton admitted stealing meat from Food Warehouse on Apr 23, food worth £60 from Victoria Filling Station on May 29, groceries from Home Bargains on Jun 7 and Jun 8, food from Victoria Filling Station on Jun 7 and Jun 9, groceries and non-food items worth £51.09 from Tesco on Jun 16, and food worth £32.50 from Food Warehouse on the same day.

She also admitted failing to attend an initial drugs assessment after testing positive for Class A drugs, including cocaine and opiates.

Magistrates were told the offences represented persistent repeat offending and had been committed while Picton was already subject to a court order.

The bench imposed an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

As part of the order, Picton must complete up to 15 rehabilitation activity days under the supervision of the Probation Service.

The court ordered her to pay compensation to several of the businesses affected, including Tesco, Home Bargains, Food Warehouse and Victoria Filling Station.

In sentencing, magistrates said the offences were serious enough to justify immediate custody but suspended the sentence because there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and Picton appeared motivated to address her addiction issues.

Picton was warned that any further offending during the 18-month suspension period could see the prison sentence activated.