Man jailed for shooting at men trying to steal plants from his Manchester cannabis farm

Police said the attempted burglars escaped with their lives by 'sheer luck'

He believed the men were trying to steal plants from his farm in Manchester (MARCEL VAN HOORN/AFP/Getty Images)

Two men who tried to steal cannabis from a farm hidden in Manchester escaped with their lives by “sheer luck” after the owner started shooting at them.

The pair attempted to break into a house where the drug was being grown but ended up fleeing empty-handed as Steven Hyde chased them with a shotgun.

The 52-year-old, from Daisy Bank in Manchester, was jailed for eight-and-a-half years at Manchester Crown Court yesterday.

He had been found guilty of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life following a trial.

Steven Hyde was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison (Greater Manchester Police)

Greater Manchester Police said he fired a repeatedly at two men who attempted to steal cannabis from the farm he had hidden inside his home on 9 August 2012.

The men were not injured but a neighbour’s car was hit by the bullets.

Detective Constable Mike Keogh said: “It was only sheer luck that the victims were not hit and had they been, Hyde would have been facing much more serious charges than he faced today.

“Firing a shotgun at someone on a residential street because you believe they are trying to steal your cannabis farm is not only incredibly dangerous, but also shows a complete disregard for the safety of his neighbours.

“This sentence hopefully demonstrates that we simply will not tolerate guns in our communities.”