A MAN from Risca is beginning a three-year prison sentence for his part in an attempt to cultivate thousands of pounds worth of cannabis at a house in Llanbradach.

Ryan Parry, aged 26, was caught with four other men during a police raid, whilst they were harvesting cannabis plants at the house on January 3 last year.

Parry, of Holly Road, Risca; Michael Adams, aged 34, who was renting the house in School Street, Llanbradach, where the cannabis was being grown, but who now lives in Port Talbot; Gareth Grant, aged 29, of Heol Trecastell, Caerphilly; Aaron Lester, aged 20, of Richard Close, Llanbradach; and Ryan Cooper, aged 21, of Heol Aneurin, Penyrheol, Caerphilly, pleaded guilty last year to a charge of conspiracy to produce a class B drug.

Parry also pleaded guilty to a charge of an intent to supply charge in relation to the cannabis, and Grant pleaded guilty to a second conspiracy charge.

Cardiff Crown Court was told by prosecuting counsel Ieuan Bennett that a harvesting operation was interrupted by the police raid and the total potential street value of the whole cannabis haul was £87,500, a figure was disputed in a report from a forensic scientist compiled for Mr Parry's defence.

The latter put the value at £10,000-27,800 based on an approximate dried weight of cannabis, against the 'wet' weight on which the police valuation was based.

Mr Bennett said Parry - out on licence from a four-year prison sentence for grievous bodily harm - had opened the door to the police on January 3, then locked them out, before being arrested with the other four defendants.

He initially told police he was at the house for 10 minutes before the police arrived, having been looking for a lift to Risca, and had not known there were cannabis plants there.

Adams, the tenant of the house, told police Parry had wanted to put the cannabis factory in the house, and that he (Adams) had been going to be paid an unknown sum.

The judge, Recorder Jonathan Furness, sentenced Parry to three years on each charge, to run concurrently.

Adams received a prison sentence of two years and two months. Grant was jailed for 14 months and three months, to run concurrently.

Lester was given a 10-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to carry out 180 hours' unpaid work, while Cooper received an eight-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months, and 150 hours unpaid work.