THE people of Worcester who feel the need to comment on discoveries of cannabis farms in the city are themselves helping drive the drugs market says a top city judge.

Judge Nicolas Cartwright made the comments as he jailed a Worcester cannabis gardener for 16 months, telling people in the city that they should think before they make 'adverse' comments about the number of cannabis farms - as they are driving the demand for the class B drug.

We have previously reported how illegal immigrant Elian Lici now faces deportation to his native Albania after he was installed as a cannabis gardener in Trent Close in Worcester, an address raided by police on August 26 this year.

Speaking at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, Judge Cartwright said: "This is yet another case of a cannabis factory being discovered here in Worcester. As is often the case, a house was converted into a cannabis growing facility with many plants being grown under artificial lighting with sophisticated ventilation and irrigation systems installed.

"An illegal immigrant was installed by those higher up the chain to do the work of gardening the plants. Again, that is common. Any members of the public tempted to comment adversely on these bare facts should perhaps reflect on the fact that it is the people of Worcestershire who buy and use cannabis who drive the market which creates such offending."

In his sentencing remarks the judge also said Lici had been honest to police, telling them that he was paid £5,000 per month to look after the plants.

"That just goes to show what a significant commercial operation this was and you plainly had an expectation of a very significant financial gain" said Judge Cartwright.

The 26-year-old's solicitor had said that Lici did not know the plants were cannabis though he had an inkling that what he was doing was illegal.

Judge Cartwright said: "Having see the photographs of this house there can be little doubt that you must have realised this was no ordinary house and no ordinary plants.

"Even if it's true that you only came to realise it was cannabis after you had started, that makes little difference because this was obviously illegal."