Cannabis was grown at Wolverhampton Sunbeam factory
An illegal drugs operation was set up in a landmark car factory which once produced a vehicle that broke the land speed record.
Jack Evans grew cannabis in the historic Sunbeam factory in Upper Villiers Street, Wolverhampton.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that the operation was potentially worth £20,000, but that he didn't make any money from it as police discovered it while it was still in its infancy.
The scheme was uncovered when a burglary in the building in Blakenhall saw dozens of plants stolen.
The court was told that his father Steven Evans, aged 53, ran a blinds manufacturing firm in the building, which is on the site of the Biz Space Industrial Estate and turned a 'blind eye' to what was going on.
His son had a separate unit within the building for his own use and began cultivating cannabis with specialist equipment.
Electricity bills duly rocketed from £20 a month to up to £400 a month.
When police found the cannabis factory in March, there were 16 plants growing in the unit, while a further 30 to 40 had been stolen during the burglary.
Prosecutor Mr Patrick Sullivan estimated it was a potential annual yield of £20,000 if the drugs were sold at a wholesale rate. Father-of-one Jack Evans, 21, of Victoria Road in Tettenhall, pleaded guilty to producing cannabis.
Steven Evans, also of Victoria Road, was found guilty after a trial of permitting premises to be used for the cultivation of cannabis.
Defending the pair, Mr Bernard Porter said Steven Evans had been an 'exemplary citizen' up until now. He added: "Although he (Jack Evans) has a history of cannabis over the years, that is now reducing.
"He made no gain from this enterprise.
"The main point is the remorse and shame he feels for bringing this on his family. Steven Evans has been an exemplary citizen. Some number of months (after the blinds business opening) he was approached by his son and turned a blind eye thereafter.
"He made no financial gain."
Judge Martin Walsh sentenced Jack Evans to 36 weeks in custody, suspended for two years. His father was given a 26-week prison term, also suspended for two years.
Both men were told to do 180 hours of unpaid work in the community.
The judge added: "I'm just about persuaded it is in the public interest to sentence you to doing work in the community."
The factory built the historic Sunbeam 1000hp Mystery car which broke the land speed world record in 1927 racking up 203mph.
