AN Albanian man arrested at a property converted for use as a cannabis farm claimed he had only been put there the day before to act as “gardener” to the crop.

Police armed with a search warrant forced entry to the address in Holly Park, Brandon, after knocks at the door went unanswered at 5.45pm on July 15.

Durham Crown Court was told the lone occupant, Elidion Likaj, was found and arrested at the premises, which appeared to be inhabited on the ground floor, with well-stocked cupboards, a duvet and a half-eaten meal on the kitchen table.

Police found an 18-month tenancy agreement for the property and recovered three mobile phones and a set of house keys.

The three upstairs bedrooms were put to use for the cultivation of cannabis, aided by an estimated £5,600 worth of growing equipment.

The electricity meter was found to have been bypassed to provide free power supply for the operation.

Jane Foley, prosecuting, said in total 100 female flowering plants were recovered with a potential yield from the crop of cannabis worth between £28,000, if sold wholesale, to £84,000 in street deal rates.

She said a police drug expert concluded it was capable of three yields a year and classed it as, “a large-scale commercial cultivation”.

Although Likaj largely made no reply to police questions, he did say that he was not put under any pressure to tend the plants and was only taken to that address the previous day.

He told the court, through an Albanian interpreter, that he had an address in London he could go to if needed.

Miss Foley said Likaj has no previous convictions in this country but it is not known if he has any antecedents elsewhere.

The 27-year-old defendant admitted being concerned in the production of a class B drug.

Nick Peacock, mitigating, said Likaj has relatives in this country and came to the UK to try to find legitimate work.

But the only job available to him was to act as a “gardener” at the cannabis farm.

“It required no real skill or expertise and I would submit he performed a ‘lesser role’ in the operation.”

Mr Peacock added that Likaj will face deportation back to Albania once his sentence is concluded.

Judge Ray Singh disagreed with Mr Peacock’s assessment of the role performed by the defendant, saying he was overseeing, “large-scale commercial production” of cannabis.

He imposed a 21-month prison sentence and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the seized plants and equipment.

The judge told Likaj that he will be on licence supervision upon release, “if you remain in this country”.