Cannabis farm worth £48,000 found at house in Leeds after neighbours spotted 'strange comings and goings'

Leeds Crown Court heard residents became suspicious after seeing people coming out of the property in East End Park carrying plants.

Further suspicions were aroused when people were seen leaving the property via a top floor window.

West Yorkshire Police officers attended the address, found cannabis plants growing throughout the property and arrested Dhiren Patel.

Patel was also found in possession of cocaine.

The court heard the plants were capable of producing 4.7kg of the class B drug, with a potential street value of £48,000.

Patel, of Glensdale Terrace, pleaded guilty to permitting premises to be used for the production of cannabis and possession of cocaine.

Probation officer Mick Berry described Patel as "naive" and "out of his depth" when he allowed others to use his home to grow cannabis.

The court heard Patel had mental health difficulties at the time of the offending.

Patel was given a 17-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

He was made the subject of an electronically-tagged curfew order for four months.

Judge Penelope Belcher said: "The serious aggravating feature here is the sheer quantity of the cannabis.

"People who supply this drug need a place to harvest it and you provided it.

"Drugs have an appalling impact on people and the community at large.

"Do not kid yourself that cannabis is an easy drug or a good drug - it is not."