Police found skunk cannabis farm worth almost £50,000 during raid on house in Burley

Riza Cani was jailed for 14 months after his fingerprints and DNA were found inside the house on Burley Lodge Terrace, Burley.

Leeds Crown Court heard officers entered the property on March 11 this year and found 89 plants growing in different rooms.

Imran Khan, prosecuting, said no one was inside the house at the time but the property was equipped with sophisticated heating, lighting and growing equipment.

The plants were analysed and found to be capable of producing just under 5kg of the class B drug.

There was also evidence that a previous crop had been grown at the property.

Experts estimated that four crops a year could have grown at the property, producing around 20kg of the drug.

Cani was linked to the offence after he was arrested and sentenced for a separate offence of possessing cannabis with intent to supply in June this year.

The Albanian national was interviewed and admitted spending between seven and ten days living at the property and that his fingerprints would be all over the house.

Cani said he had agreed to stay at the house to look after the plants as he needed a job and somewhere to live.

Cani, of Argie Road, Burley, pleaded guilty to producing a class B drug.

Andrew Coleman, mitigating, said: "He came to this country and found himself destitute and living on the street.

"He found himself being taken to this property and being asked to do a job.

"He was sleeping on the floor on a mattress and realised how dangerous the situation was when intruders broke in to the property and he decided he was getting out."

Sentencing Cani, Judge Robin Mairs said: "This had all the hallmarks of a commercial cannabis grow."