Man caught tending cannabis farm in Hetton to pay back traffickers who brought him to UK

Albanian national Indrit Stuparu was caught by police in a house where 168 plants were growing in Hetton, on December 21, 2022.

Prosecutor Ian West told Newcastle Crown Court: "He said that he had been required to tend to the plants by people who threatened to harm his family in his homeland Albania and they required him to work off the debt he had incurred from his transfer to the UK."

Mr West said the farm was capable of producing a "significant quantity" of cannabis, for commercial use.

Stuparu, 27, of no fixed address, admitted producing cannabis.

Khadim Al'Hassan, defending, said: "He accepts he was involved in the production of cannabis and had been in the premises for three weeks."

Mr Al'Hassan said Stuparu has a wife and child who he was trying to support.

Judge Edward Bindloss jailed Stuparu for 13 months.

The judge told him: "You arrived illegally in the UK and were placed in the cannabis farm to pay off debt to the people who brought you here.

"You had a limited function and were working under direction."

Judge Bindloss said Stuparu is likely to be deported when he is released from the prison sentence.