Trial begins of gardener accused of stealing plants from Jersey Hemp

Monday 02 August 2021

A 25-year-old gardener accused of breaking into Jersey Hemp and stealing the flowering heads of plants is standing trial in the Royal Court.

Andrew James Richomme denies entering a polytunnel at Warwick Farm in the early hours of 23 September last year. It is then alleged he stole around 3kg of flower heads from hemp plants growing there.

In an unrelated and unsolved theft, a smaller number of flower heads had been stolen the night before, which had prompted staff at Jersey Hemp to install a hunting-style motion sensor camera.

The following night, Mr Richomme was caught in two short films walking in the polytunnel inspecting hemp plants using the torch on his phone. 

Although he initially denied being the person in the videos during a police interview, Mr Richomme later admitted that he was the figure in the black and white films. 

He also concedes that he entered Jersey Hemp illegally that night, but denies that he stole any hemp flowers.

Pictured: Mr Richomme's jury trial is taking place in the Royal Court.

Taking the stand on the first day of his Royal Court trial today, Mr Richomme said that he and a group of friends had walked up the green lane at the top of Vallée des Vaux (La Fredée Lane) as they moved from one house party to another, when they had smelt cannabis.

He said he did not know that it was the back of Warwick Farm and he and his friends had walked onto the site, unaware that it was private land because there was no barrier or gate stopping them.

“I only had my phone - I had no bag and didn’t take any hemp. None of my mates had any bags too and, after a short time, we carried on walking to the party,” he said.

Asked by Crown Advocate Rebecca Morley-Kirk, prosecuting, if he felt it was too much of a coincidence that hemp flowers had been stolen that same night, Mr Richomme said he had no idea if people had gone back to Warwick Farm after the party. 

But he refused to share the names of his friends, saying he would not “grass them up”.

Under cross-examination from Advocate Morley-Kirk, Mr Richomme denied that he had stolen the hemp flowers.

“I am not stupid enough to steal hemp then sell it to someone as cannabis, and then get my head kicked in when they find out it’s useless,” he said.

Pictured: Crown Advocate Rebecca Morley-Kirk is prosecuting at the trial.

Admitting to using cannabis, Mr Richomme denied ever dealing it and said he knew where to get it so would never need to steal hemp flowers.

The Crown admitted that its case is largely based on circumstantial evidence, as the flower heads have never been found, the videos do not show Mr Richomme removing them, and no other person features in the footage. 

However, it argued that the evidence of unlawful entry, Mr Richomme’s interest in looking at the plants, and the theft that night provides enough evidence to convict him.

His defence lawyer, Advocate Mark Boothman, argued that the lack of clear evidence makes it impossible for a jury to be sure of his client’s guilt, and Mr Richomme’s explanation of events is plausible.

Advocate Boothman also said that the police investigation was flawed in that officers failed to search the flat where Mr Richomme was staying at the time.

Witnesses giving evidence earlier in the trial included police officers, a drugs expert, and directors and staff of Jersey Hemp.

The jury trial, presided over by the Bailiff, Tim Le Cocq, is expected to conclude on Tuesday.