An Armagh man charged in connection with a cannabis factory at a house in Gilford has been granted bail.
Josh O’Donovan, of no fixed abode, Armagh, is charged with cultivating cannabis and dishonestly using electricity at High Street in Gilford on December 21 last year.
The 29-year-old is also charged with causing criminal damage to a police cell van in which he allegedly spat and kicked out on January 26.
The defendant appeared at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court via video link from prison.
Objecting to bail, a PSNI officer said police received a “concern for safety” call regarding the defendant.
The officer said the defendant “lived at” High Street in Gilford, and police attended the address after there was no answer “to his phone.”
The blinds at the address were closed, but an upstairs bedroom light was on. There was no response at the door. There were dogs on the property.
The officer said that during the phone call to police, it had been requested that somebody “look after the dogs if something happened to” the defendant.
Police climbed over the back wall and entered through an unlocked back door. There was nobody present.
However, when police opened the living room door, they found “multiple cannabis plants growing throughout the room with heat lamps and fans running. There also appeared to be a ventilation system leading through the ceiling.” Piping entered the loft, and in the landing, there was a “large water system” for “plants below.”
The court heard there were around 50 cannabis plants.
In January, police attended the home address of a man who wanted a male removed from his property, and it was the defendant.
When arrested, he told police he was “suicidal,” and on the way to hospital, he kicked a cell van door and spat.
When interviewed, he said he had previously lived at the Gilford address but was not living there in December and denied any knowledge of cannabis.
He said he left his dogs at the property as they couldn’t go to the property he moved to.
When asked about the electricity set-up at the house, the defendant told police: “I can’t even wire a plug.”
The court heard the defendant had 20 previous convictions.
The officer said a proposed bail address in the Gilford area was deemed unsuitable.
Deputy District Judge Gerard Trainor granted the defendant bail in the sum of £500 to an address to be approved by police. There is a 10pm-8am curfew, and he has to report to police twice a week.
The case was adjourned to March 21.
