Walton woman grew cannabis plants ‘to fund her daughter’s headstone’

A WOMAN has told police she grew dozens of cannabis plants with her partner to pay for a headstone for her late daughter, a court has heard.

Carla Holman, 44, was brought before a judge after police found a grow room in her Walton home in March 2019.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard officers attended her home, which she shared with her partner Jason, 49, due to “a totally unrelated matter”.

Alec Williams, prosecuting, said: “Upon arrival they wished to search the entire building for an unrelated matter and during the search a room was located where 64 cannabis plants were in cultivation.”

Admitting to producing a class B drug, Mr Holman was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, in 2020.

But Ms Holman’s case took nearly three years to come to a conclusion after the plants were discovered.

She admitted to making a Class B drug.

Mitigating Gavin Burrell said Mr Holman initially confessed to running ‘the whole operation’, saying his wife knew nothing about it.

But he said Ms Holman had been very honest in her interview with the police.

“I would suggest that she explained what the real truth about the case was,” he said.

“She was trying to generate income so she could pay for a headstone for her daughter who died in 2015.”

Judge Patricia Lynch QC said: “I’m happy to hear his partner fell on his sword, it was the decent thing to do.”

After reading a report detailing Ms Holman’s mental health issues, Judge Lynch chose to hand down a sentence ‘not to punish, but to help’.

Ms Holman, of Walton Road, Walton, was sentenced to a 12 month community order, with one condition she completed a 12 session mental health treatment requirement.

The court heard she showed ‘clear remorse’ and was diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder.

Judge Lynch said: ‘The reason I am giving this sentence is that this is now a very old case, three years old, and there were clear mitigating factors.

“Your partner tried to fall on his sword, but you were completely honest about your role.

“I’ve read the limited paperwork I have and I can see it was a tough time for you to deal with and it would be a tough time for anyone under these circumstances.

“You should be proud of yourself, you’ve been through this.

“You should believe that actually going through it makes you a strong woman and the reason I say that is because it will help you become an even stronger woman and stay a strong woman.

“Because one day we will rule the world, believe me.

“What you need is to find the confidence and the courage to be that strong woman.”

To receive updates straight to your inbox, sign up for our Courts and Crime newsletter here.

Keep up to date with all the latest crime and court news with our Facebook page.

Comments are closed.