July 26th 2024.
Edvinas Ulinauskas was discovered at a property where he had been tending to 63 cannabis plants. This may seem like a shocking and illegal activity, but there was actually a heartfelt reason behind his actions. According to his defense lawyer, Edvinas had come to the UK with the intention of earning money to help his family, specifically his grandmother who needed a hip replacement operation. This was his main motivation for becoming involved in a cannabis farm, hoping to make quick money to support his loved ones.
However, things took a turn for the worse when police raided the house in Branholme, Hull and arrested Edvinas. The 27-year-old Lithuanian was found in the living room, along with numerous mobile phones and his passport. The police had executed a drugs warrant and had to use force to enter the premises. Inside, they discovered three rooms filled with cannabis plants, with a total of 63 plants in varying stages of growth. In addition, they also found empty bottles of plant feed and other drug paraphernalia in the bathroom.
During his police interview, Edvinas maintained that he was not involved in drug supply and that the cannabis plants were not intended for that purpose. He had no previous convictions and claimed that he had come to the UK solely to grow cannabis, as he believed the profit margins were better here compared to Lithuania. He needed to make quick money in order to support his family, and this seemed like a viable option to him.
However, the prosecution argued that Edvinas had an expectation of significant financial gain from this operation. They were unable to estimate the value of the potential cannabis yield, but it was clear that Edvinas had put a lot of effort into this endeavor. His defense lawyer, Rachel Scott, explained that the details of his motives were confusing because while he did come to the UK to grow cannabis, he also wanted to find legitimate work. He had hoped to earn a higher wage in the UK to support his family, but was unable to do so without a work visa.
Ms. Scott also revealed that her client had no right to remain in the UK and would be deported back to Lithuania soon. However, this did not excuse his actions and he accepted that he was acting as a cannabis gardener with the expectation of financial gain. He believed that he would receive payment when the cannabis crops were ready, after months of hard work. Despite his lack of previous convictions and his sincere reason for getting involved in this illegal activity, Edvinas was sentenced to two years and four months in prison.
In the end, the judge rejected the defense's argument that Edvinas had only expected minimal financial gain, considering the scale of production. It was clear that he was heavily involved in the operation and had access to the property with his own set of keys. His possession of multiple mobile phones also suggested that he was aware of the scale of the operation. The fact that the cannabis plants had not yet reached maturity at the time of his arrest was irrelevant. Edvinas had made a grave mistake and would have to face the consequences of his actions.
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