A CANNABIS farmer will have to wait to learn his fate as investigations continue to see whether his female co-defendant was trafficked into the UK.

Dat Nguyen had already admitted production of cannabis and possession of criminal property in Worcester when he appeared at the city’s crown court to be sentenced.

However, his co-defendant, Hoang Huong, was not produced at the court hearing as Home Office investigations continue into the circumstances which brought her to the UK.

We have previously reported how Nguyen dramatically changed his plea during an earlier pre-trial hearing at Worcester Crown Court.

Police found Nguyen, 31, an illegal immigrant from Vietnam, at a house in Worcester on January 15 of this year, with a “half a million pound cannabis set up” in operation.

The Oldbury Road resident had in his possession £777 in cash and an iPhone, knowing or suspecting it to be criminal property.

Huong Hoang had appeared at an earlier court hearing charged with the production of cannabis.

The 46-year-old of no fixed abode, who is also Vietnamese, gave no plea during the hearing that was held on February 17.

Her defence barrister, Nicholas Berry, said Hoang had since told the police she had been trafficked to the country.

Mr Berry said the National Referral Mechanism was in process to identify whether or not she was the victim of human trafficking, which could potentially affect her prosecution.

Paul Whitfield, prosecuting, said: “Hoang Huong raises the prospect that she was trafficked to this jurisdiction by others who had a financial interest in her son. That was the price of her journey here.”

He said he understood from police that there had since been further arrests in relation to trafficking and the production of drugs.

Asking for the case to be adjourned for four weeks, he said: “We are not that much further forward than we were on the last occasion.”

He said Home Office officials had been to see Huong twice in custody but did not have an interpreter on either occasion.

The case was adjourned until Thursday, April 9. The Crown Prosecution Service must notify the court and the defence what the position is with regard to Huong by March 30.

A trial date was identified for Huong and placed in a warned list.

Any trial would begin as soon as possible after June 29 this year.