A MAN caught growing cannabis one week after arriving in the UK has been sentenced to 15 months behind bars.

Thang Van Bui, of no fixed abode, was arrested by officers on October 10 after a raid was carried out on property on Forster Street.

Hundreds of cannabis plants were seized after three separated grows were discovered in three rooms of the property during the raid.

The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to cannabis cultivation earlier this year but claimed he had only arrived in the property on the day of the raid.

Prosecuting, James Coutts, said: "The defendant arrived in the country illegally and we have no idea when he was let into the country.

"We have no information as to how he became involved in the operation except for a mobile phone that was found in the property.

"The mobile phone was examined and messages which date back to July were found but they never refer to this defendant by name."

At an earlier hearing, a written statement was read out on behalf of Bui.

He said: "I came to the UK from Germany one week before being arrested.

"When I arrived in the UK I met a couple who let me stay with them for a week.

"The couple, who were Vietnamese, gave me £60 two days before I left with a person called Dow.

"The couple told me if I could look after the house and plants I could stay.

"I was took to the house by a person called Dow. 

"When we got to the house Dow told me I had to water the plants as well."

Defending, Patrick Cassidy, said: "He was unaware he was to become involved in criminal activity until he stepped foot onto the property but he did not turn his back and chose to stay."

Judge Tina Landale accepted that his financial gain would have been limited but added that a term in imprisonment was the necessary deterrent.

She said: "You came into the country illegally and found yourself without accommodation so you became involved in the production of cannabis.

"It was a sophisticated operation but you were not responsible for setting it up – you were the gardener.

"But once inside the property you must have accepted this was a large scale operation."