TWO men who peddled sweets laced with cannabis were caught after police visited a Carlisle house initially believing Covid lockdown rules were being broken.

It was just before 4pm on February 16, 2021, when several people were seen leaving a Lindisfarne Street address.

“This was at a time when Covid-19 restrictions were in force,” prosecutor Gerard Rogerson told the city’s crown court. “Officers saw this as a possible breach of those restrictions.”

A strong smell of cannabis detected on the street was believed to be coming from the property. After a female answered the front door, Mark Warner, 24, and Niall White, 21, were found inside.

Warner had two medium sized bags of cannabis in jacket pockets. “He was also found to have a burner-type, only after Mr Warner had attempted to hide [it] in a cushion on a seat on which he was sitting,” said Mr Rogerson.

White was found in Warner’s bedroom and initially gave false details to police, who located more than £2,000 cash. And Mr Rogerson said: “Hidden under a duvet was a black rucksack which contained individually bagged quantities of cannabis.”

Other labelled packages, digital scales and 'Nerd rope' confectionery infused with cannabis were found both at Lindisfarne Street and at White’s address in Longtown.

In total, around 240g of cannabis potentially worth £880 was recovered, along with sweets containing the drug’s psychoactive substance valued at up to £630.

Damning mobile phone evidence was also unearthed. This included a 'text bomb' to 40 different numbers advertising illegal wares for sale, and messages showing Warner and White had teamed up to sell cannabis for financial gain.

One read: “Two days we sell everything and we take the phone back.”

Warner, of Margaret Creighton Gardens, Carlisle, and White, of English Street, Longtown, each admitted two charges relating to cannabis supply.

The court heard both men had latterly taken steps to mend their ways.

Warner was now in work at a factory and had a settled address, while self-employed roofer White was father to a three-year-old daughter.

In view of these positive steps and a significant delay in their case coming to court, Judge Nicholas Barker decided neither man should be jailed.

Warner, who had a previous cannabis supply conviction dating back to 2017, received a 12-month jail term suspended for 18 months. White was made subject to an 18-month community order.

Both men must complete rehabilitation work, community service and electronically monitored night time curfews.