Drakelow Tunnels cannabis factory: 'Hundreds had access'

Wayne Robinson, 47, of Kidderminster denies permitting the tunnels, between Kinver and Kidderminster, to be used for the production of cannabis. He has also pleaded not guilty to possession of criminal property, a JCB excavator.

Robinson, of Marlpool Lane, whose brother owns the site, denies any knowledge of the cannabis factory, claiming he had rented that section of the vast complex to two men for the storage of car parts.

And giving evidence before Hereford Crown Court, Robinson told the jury hundreds of visitors had been given unlimited access to the tunnels for events - something he was unlikely to have allowed if he had any knowledge of the cannabis operation.

Miss Abigail Nixon, defending Robinson, read out a number of examples of events which had taken place at the tunnels where people had been allowed to visit any part of the site.

She said one of them, called Evil Rising, had taken place between July 18 and 21, 2013 and had seen more than 300 people at the tunnels chased by more than 25 to 30 actors dressed as monsters.

Robinson said: "We actually had a police officer, off-duty, taking part in the acting and on the door. People could access all the tunnels. It was an open house."

The court was told an event, where 25 people had visited the historic site, had also taken place on November 25, 2013, just two days before police had raided the tunnels.

Miss Nixon said: "If you were aware there was a large enterprise growing cannabis in the tunnels would you have given members of the public unlimited access?"

Robinson answered: "No."

He re-iterated he had no knowledge of the cannabis factory until he had been arrested by police and told of it following the raid.

Robinson said two men had approached him asking if space at the tunnels could be rented on behalf of another two individuals.

This has been agreed following a face-to-face meeting at the complex.

"They put their own locks on which I didn't mind as long as the site was secure," he said.

"I was not aware of a second inner door which had been installed inside and I didn't know that the rooms had been divided in the way they had been.

"I had not been inside until after I had been arrested and was let down there."

The court was also told Robinson had purchased the JCB, found on site during the police raid, for £10,000 from a third party and was not aware it had been stolen.

He had used it to do odd jobs around the area.

Also standing trial is 41-year-old Jason Whiley, of Thorns Avenue, Brierley Hill, who denies being concerned in the production of cannabis.

His fingerprints were found on plastic sheeting and on equipment found in the cannabis factory.

Whiley says he had been at the tunnels, but around eight or nine months before, when he had been asked to clear away rubbish from the site.

But he said there had been no indication of cannabis being grown.

The court earlier heard a statement from Detective Constable Martin Guest, who had been among the officers involved in the raid.

He said 564 flowering mature cannabis plants had been found in the main growing room and a further 321 immature non-flowering plants split across two further rooms.

Dc Guest's statement said in the main room lighting had been supplied by more than 80 high powered lamps connected to 12-hour timers so the plants had equal amounts of light and dark.

"In my opinion all of the plants could have reached maturity and were being grown in an ideal artificial environment," he said.

"This was for commercial purposes and was a major production set-up. It would have cost several thousands of pounds to purchase all of the equipment."

The trial continues.