BNP husband avoids jail after growing cannabis

The husband of BNP city councillor Melanie Baddeley and his nephew have avoided being sent to prison after admitting growing cannabis in rooms concealed in a lock-up garage.

Four mature and 20 young plants were found by police executing a search warrant at the premises at the back of Park Avenue, Wolstanton. The street value of the potential yield of the drugs grown by Clifford Mark Baddeley and Simon Peters was estimated to be between £5,540 and £23,740.

Yesterday North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court heard that when officers went to the lock-up they noticed a strong smell of the Class B drug. Lynn Warrington, prosecuting, told the court: "During the search officers found a door inside the lock-up cleverly concealed behind a bookcase. When the door was opened they discovered three rooms, including a growing room and a drying room. Also there were fans, filters, plant food and transformers."

The premises had been used originally by Baddeley to fix washing machines to sell on, but that came to an end following a burglary there. Baddeley told police both he and Peters liked to smoke cannabis but had recently been receiving poor quality drugs. Both defendants told officers that they never intended to sell any of the drugs.

Baddeley, aged 49, of Holehouse Road, Abbey Hulton, and Peters, aged 36, of Aegean Close, Trentham, both pleaded guilty to producing four mature and 20 young plants between November 1 last year and January 21.

They were both given a 12-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months, with a six month curfew order from 9pm to 6am. Magistrates ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the plants and equipment and told each defendant to pay £85 costs.

Andrew Bennett, defending both men, said: "The defendants are uncle and nephew. They grew cannabis for their own use. Baddeley had arthritis, he could not work and used the drug for pain relief."

Mr Bennett said as a result of this matter and a previous conviction of cultivating cannabis in 2002 his client had now stopped taking cannabis and was being prescribed pain relief. Mr Bennett added: "He (Baddeley) said the case was of concern to him because his wife was a parliamentary candidate. Peters used the drug primarily as a relaxant. They both now wish to move on without it."

After the hearing Baddeley's wife, BNP city councillor Melanie - who contested the Stoke North seat - in the General Election, told The Sentinel she had no comment to make.

The Sentinel

BNP candidate's husband in drugs arrest

The husband of a BNP Parliamentary candidate is on police bail after being arrested over an alleged drugs offence, The Sentinel can reveal

Unemployed Clifford Baddeley, aged 49, of Holehouse Road, Abbey Hulton, who is a BNP member, was arrested last month on suspicion of possessing cannabis. Days later, police also searched the semi-detached house he shares with his wife Melanie. She is a BNP city councillor who is standing as the party's Parliamentary candidate for the Stoke-on-Trent North constituency.

Mr Baddeley has not been charged with any offences, but remains on police bail while officers complete their investigation.

His wife said yesterday that she was aware of her husband's arrest, but had not told party chiefs about the situation. The Abbey Green ward member said: "I haven't told the party, because it's nothing to do with me; it's his problem, not mine. I was very upset and annoyed with him when I found out about his arrest, and I still am because I wasn't aware what was happening at the time. He is on police bail at the moment and the police did come and search my house, but didn't find anything."

She added: "My husband did smoke cannabis for medical reasons, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm carrying on as normal with my election campaign."

Mr Baddeley admitted that he used to smoke the drug to relieve the pain of chronic arthritis. He said: "I know that the BNP disapproves of drug use, but I'm more worried about my wife, who is very anti-drugs. She works tirelessly for this community, and it's embarrassing for her that I'm in this situation. I've stopped using cannabis, and I'm back on medication, although it doesn't work as well."

Stoke-on-Trent City Council's BNP group leader, Councillor Michael Coleman, was shocked to learn of Mr Baddeley's arrest. But he said the party would still be backing Mrs Baddeley in the run-up to the General Election.

After being contacted by The Sentinel yesterday, he said: "It is shocking and disappointing. Mr Baddeley is a party member. I know he has a serious medical problem and is in pain, and that's why he used cannabis. But I don't approve, and the party doesn't approve of people using drugs in that way. We condemn these drugs in our communities and we have to condemn this. However, Melanie didn't know about it and we feel it doesn't affect her. It will be damaging for us to some degree, but we like Melanie and will be backing her."

Mrs Baddeley was unveiled as the BNP's Parliamentary candidate in Stoke-on-Trent North in January, when party leader Nick Griffin travelled to the city to unveil his election manifesto in Meir.

Staffordshire Police declined to comment on the investigation.

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