A MOTHER and son team ran a cannabis dealing operation from their home before police seized thousands of pounds in ill-gotten gains and designer clothes.

When police first searched the home of Kim Miller, 56, and Mitchell Griggs, 29, they uncovered tubs of cannabis, scales, plastic bags and a dealer’s list.

Miller’s phone was seized and found to contain 146 pages of drug dealing texts, while £8,580 was found in Griggs’ bedside drawer.

Officers returned to search the home the following day, finding high-value designer clothes in Griggs’ bedroom.

Receipts showed Griggs had splashed out thousands of pounds on jewellery and designer clothing.

One receipt showed Griggs had deposited £5,000 in cash into a bank account.

Another receipt from high-end department chain Selfridges totalled £990, while an Ernest Jones receipt totalled £280.

Griggs and Miller, of Totlands Drive, Clacton, admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis and Griggs also admitted possession of criminal property.

Appearing at Chelmsford Crown Court, Barry Gilbert, mitigating for Miller, said his client was a carer to her granddaughter and had suffered health difficulties.

He said Miller had conceded she “should have done things differently” and was “thoroughly repentant.”

But he added: “Parents do, right or wrong, anything they can for their children.

“In this case it was the wrong thing to do. She has accepted her guilt right from the outset.”

Kiran Pourawal, for Griggs, said her client had lost his job as a civil engineer and had struggled with cannabis addiction.

“It was quite right that Mr Griggs was not thinking of the consequences of his actions at the time,” she said.

She added that while Griggs was at work, his mother volunteered to help in dealing the cannabis.

She called on Judge David Turner QC to give Griggs “another chance.”

Judge Turner said: “There is something to my mind profoundly shameful about having to address a mother and son sitting in the dock of a crown court, for committing drugs supply related offences.”

He sentenced Miller to nine months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with an order to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days and a two month curfew.

Griggs was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. He must complete a 30 day rehabilitation activity requirement, 280 hours of unpaid work and a three month curfew.