These pictures show the devastation caused to a gangster film actor's home when a cannabis farm inside caught fire .
Former doorman Francis 'Franny' Bennett tried to load plants into a pickup truck while firefighters tackled the blaze .
But the third time he returned to salvage what he could of the crop, police were waiting to arrest him at the scene.
Bennett shot to fame in Shooters, a gritty Channel 4 film about Liverpool's underworld, which became a cult hit.
Photographs from inside the 46-year-old's house in Dorchester Park, Prenton, Wirral reveal the effects of the fire.
Scorched plants, melted plastic and a gutted ventilation system can all be seen on the first floor of his home.
Blackened walls also show the extent of smoke damage caused during the incident on April 19 last year.
One firefighter estimated there were about 20 plants, 5ft in height, but Bennett had already harvested others.
Liverpool Crown Court heard police recovered a bucket containing 116g of cannabis, worth an estimated £1,740, pictured here.
Another image shows the pickup truck that Bennett loaded some of the plants into before he was arrested.
A further photo reveals the electrical set up required to power lighting and fans to help grow the cannabis farm.
Mike Stephenson, prosecuting, said the cause of the fire was unknown, but there was no evidence it was down to "bad wiring".
Bennett admitted being concerned in the production of cannabis and possessing the Class B drug with intent to supply.
He was convicted of possessing cocaine in 2001, in 2007 and in 2010, for which he received community-based punishments.
Trevor Parry-Jones, defending, said Bennett had stayed out of trouble for eight years and had "a lengthy period of good character".
He said Bennett attempted suicide in 2007, when the ECHO reported how he was found wandering bare-chested down the M53 .
Mr Parry-Jones said he had made "good progress" in tackling "severe mental health difficulties" and believed smoking cannabis had helped.
He said Bennett, who might have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, had become a "heavy user" of cannabis and shared the drug with friends.
Judge Brian Cummings, QC, accepted Bennett had stayed out of trouble since 2010 and that there was a delay in this case coming to court.
However, he said: "It's a very unattractive feature that while the fire service were trying to put a fire out at these premises you were taking the opportunity to move two loads of plants before being arrested by the police on the third occasion."
The judge handed Bennett eight months in prison, suspended for two years, plus a six-month Drug Rehabilitation Requirement.
He also told him to attend a 20-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, warning he would face jail if he breached the order.
Speaking after the case, Mr Stephenson, of Mersey Cheshire Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Mr Bennett had been running an illegal cannabis farm at this property.
"When the fire happened, instead of trying to help the fire fighters when they arrived, he set about trying to rescue his cannabis plants - items that he shouldn’t have had in the first place. He audaciously made several trips back into the house to rescue them while the fire brigade tried to bring the blaze under control."
Some of the signs that cannabis is being grown are:
- Strange smells and sounds
- Frequent and varied visitors to a property, often at unusual times
- Gardening equipment being taken into a property, such as plant pots, fertiliser, fans and industrial lighting
- Windows are sealed and covered or the curtains are permanently closed
- Heat from an adjoining property
- Birds gathering on a roof in cold weather
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Individually these activities may seem commonplace, however, together may indicate something more sinister
Anyone with information on suspected cannabis farms in their area is asked to contact the social media desk @MerPolCC, call 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
You can also use the Crimestoppers online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.
