A FATHER, who allowed his three sons to smoke and sell cannabis at the family home has confessed to the Echo that a “decent parent” would not have turned a blind eye to the crimes.

With tears in his eyes, Stephen Polley, 48, admitted he was wrong to ignore the actions of his sons who sold the drugs from their home in Albany Avenue, Westcliff, for nearly two years.

His eldest son Christopher was jailed for 18 months last week, but Stephen said any accusations he and his wife Sheila, 47, would simply shrug off the shame of appearing in court were misplaced.

He said: “We know what we did was wrong. I blame my-self, and I know a decent parent would not have allowed it.

“I just want people to know how much this has affected us. People have been saying we do not care, and that’s just not true.

“We knew it was wrong, but it just seemed like the norm in the world we were living in.

“I know that’s not an excuse. When we were in court, it was like a light bulb came on, and suddenly I realised how wrong it had been.”

Mr and Mrs Polley, were handed suspended sentences in Basildon Crown Court for allowing their home to be used for smoking cannabis. They were forced to watch as son Christopher, 26, was jailed for 18 months for his part as the “shopkeeper” in the operation to sell the drug.

Younger brothers Derek, 24, and Stephen, 22, will be sentenced on December 22.

Mr Polley said he wanted others to be aware of the harmful effects of smoking cannabis, as he described how son Stephen had become nearly “schizophrenic”.

He said: “I have seen what it has done to my kids, and I just hope it never happens to anybody else.

“Stephen was borderline schizophrenic by the end. I just want people to understand.

“It has taken up to this point for us to realise what has been happening. Now that I have, I am so sorry.”