Nimet Isufi is starting a prison sentence totalling three-and-three-quarter years, more than two months after it was imposed in his absence at Durham Crown Court.
The 26-year-old Albanian national, of Avondale Court, Front Street, Pelton, near Chester-le-Street, failed to appear for his trial at the court in late October.
It related to what was described as a “substantial” cannabis crop of about 100 plants, being grown with sophisticated heating and lighting equipment, with the electric supply bypassing the meter.
(Image: Durham Constabulary) The set up was discovered by police at an address in Heslop Street, Close House, Bishop Auckland, on December 8, 2020.
Having failed to attend his trial, Isufi was found guilty in his absence after which the 43-month prison sentence was imposed by Judge Chris Smith, who issued a bench warrant for the defendant’s arrest.
(Image: Durham Constabulary) Judge Smith also ordered forfeiture and destruction of the seized cannabis plants and the equipment used in the grow.
(Image: Durham Constabulary) An alleged accomplice of the defendant, 42-year-old Admir Isufi, also of Avondale Court, was cleared at the trial of cultivating cannabis and possessing criminal property, £7,000 recovered from him upon arrest.
In the first sitting of 2025 at the court, Nimet Isufi appeared via video link from nearby Durham Prison, following his arrest upon execution of the bench warrant.
Recorder David Kelly imposed the 45-month sentence passed after the trial.
He added a week to the sentence after Isufi admitted failure to attend the court for the trial.
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It brought to a close the case which following extensive police inquiries to trace those responsible, only reached the stage of a plea hearing in February 2023.
But it was then beset by the cancellation of a subsequent trial, scheduled in April last year, and only went ahead on October 29, in the defendant’s absence.
Nimet Isufi’s role in the grow was said to have been between November 1 and December 8, in 2020.