Dopey drug dealer jailed after cannabis farm found above Musselburgh Farmfoods shop because of water leak

Andrew Fairholm, 53, claimed to be a furniture dealer but had set up a drug cultivation in a unit above a Farmfoods supermarket in Musselburgh.

The cannabis farm housed around 90 plants and the illegal crop could have brought in a massive profit of between £50,000 and £75,000.

But the dealer’s large scale dope operation was rumbled when water began to pour into the supermarket below and staff were forced to call in police to deal with the leak.

Jail time

Fairholm, who had pretended to operate a second-hand furniture business from the unit above the frozen food outlet, admitted supplying cannabis when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month.

He returned to the dock for sentencing on Friday where Sheriff Donald Corke jailed the drug dealer for 24 months.

Last month the court was told Fairholm had previously been jailed for five years after he was a caught with £200,000 of heroin while working as a private hire driver.

Fiscal Rosie Cook said entry to the property above the Farmfoods store was forced after staff spotted water pouring into the shop on February 7, 2018.

Ms Cook said: “Once inside, a large cannabis cultivation was identified and the police were called.

“Police thereafter sought a warrant and unusually left a call back card for the accused to contact them.

“The accused then attended at Musselburgh police station on February 13.”

Ms Cook added the furniture business was found to be housing 90 cannabis plants with a street value of between £50,000 and £75,000.

The drugs were said to have been set up in “five separate growing areas” within tents and the area also contained equipment such as heating, lighting and fans.

Previously served five years

Stephen Mannifield, defending, said his client had been previously involved in the drug trade while employed as a private hire driver and had served five years in prison.

The brief added Fairholm, from Musselburgh, was a second-hand furniture dealer and he had been approached by cannabis dealers to help them set up the plantation.

Mr Mannifield said the dealers paid the £500 monthly rent after he had agreed to “share the property” within them.

Fairholm pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis at High Street, Musselburgh, East Lothian, between September 7, 2017 and February 7, 2018.

Fairholm was also jailed in March 2006 after he was caught with almost two kilos of heroin worth around £200,000.

Police received intelligence that Fairholm was involved in the drug trade and followed him as he drove his Ford Mondeo to a service station in Musselburgh.

Police officers then watched on as he took delivery of two packages and pulled him over a short time after in December 2005

He admitted to supplying the Class A drug at the High Court in Edinburgh and was jailed for five years.