Dingwall man who was burned after gas-fuelled explosion while growing cannabis in rented house is jailed
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A scaffolder who was badly burned in an explosion while growing cannabis in a rented house in Ross-shire was jailed for two years today.
The terraced property on MacRae Crescent in Dingwall occupied by 40-year-old Kevin Dwenger suffered about £30,000 worth of damage in the blast on Sunday, February 2, last year.
Dwenger and another man required weeks of specialist hospital treatment, with Dwenger suffering 19 per cent burns to his body and airways.
His solicitor, Graeme Brown told Inverness Sheriff Court that there was an alternative to prison for his client, who had stayed out of trouble since 2010.
Mr Brown said Dwenger was a father to children in his previous and current relationships and the explosion "was an unintended consequence. It has had a psychological effect on him and another man was badly injured.
"He accepts full responsibility and resolved this case at an early stage. He has learned a valuable lesson. His only reason for growing the plants was to extract CBD oil which is now legally sold."
But jailing Dwenger, Sheriff Margaret Neilson said: "This offence is so serious that only a custodial sentence is appropriate."
She deducted a year from a headline three-year sentence as discount for Dwenger's early plea.
The court heard that the two men in the property at the time required intensive treatment in a Livingston burns unit.
Dwenger of Burns Crescent in Dingwall, previously admitted producing a controlled drug and culpable and reckless conduct and had his sentence deferred.
Fiscal depute David Morton told the court that firefighters were called out on the evening in question after the gas explosion blew out the ground floor windows and patio doors of the house.
He said: “On arrival, there was smoke and flames coming from the rear of the property.
“Dwenger identified himself to the firefighters, saying that he was the occupant.
“He was described as having cuts, bruises and obvious burns to his abdomen.
“On entering, firefighters observed a large quantity of butane gas canisters in the kitchen, with various jars and dishes each containing what they believed to be herbal cannabis. There was significant damage to the property.
“The ground floor windows and the patio doors were completely blown out and lying in the garden.
“A non-retaining internal wall was displaced in the explosion, the entire ground floor wiring and the kitchen had to be replaced.”
He added: “The cost to the landlord to reinstate the property was £28,048, £25,000 of which was met by his insurance company”.
The court heard that there was a small cannabis cultivation upstairs and Dwenger had been involved in trying to extract oil from the herbal cannabis using the gas canisters.
Mr Morton said: “The gas is likely to have built up within the small kitchen space and an unknown item or appliance sparked the explosion, 200 grams of cannabis were ultimately recovered.”
He added that the second individual went to Raigmore Hospital later that day and was treated for upper limb burns on multiple areas of his back, his right hand and nostrils.
Two fire appliances from Dingwall were sent to the scene alongside police and paramedics.
Dingwall explosion linked to cannabis cultivation, court is told
Dingwall house explosion leaves two men seriously hurt
