A CANNABIS farmer here illegally who was growing 250 plants in a Worcester house told police in interview he thought he was just growing 'cabbages'.

Tri Van Le was jailed for 50 weeks at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday after he admitted cultivating cannabis at an address in Arboretum Road, Worcester.

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The 19-year-old accepted he had been guilty of the offence during what was his trial following the offence on September 30 last year.

Van Le, of no fixed abode, had been in custody since his arrest on October 1 last year which means he has already served a substantial part of that prison sentence.

In total 253 plants were found in every room of the four storey house and associated paraphernalia to allow heating, lighting and ventilation.

John Brotherton, who prosecuted the case, said the defendant was here illegally. He added: "He said he came over in a dinghy from France. He said: 'I only stayed there. He told me to water some plants like cabbages or something'."

The defendant had been homeless when he was offered the job and was deemed to be involved at a lesser role with others further up the chain.

The jury, who had already been placed in charge of the case, were directed to return guilty verdicts after Van Le indicated he wished to change his plea to guilty.

Details of the sentence were relayed to Van Le via a Vietnamese interpreter.