An illegal immigrant who tried to run away after police discovered a cannabis factory during a raid at an Ipswich house has been jailed for eight months.

Inside the property in Hayhill Road officers found 28 mature plants in the downstairs living area and a further 24 plants in two upstairs bedrooms, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

In another upstairs room there were a large quantity of plant stems and buds being dried ready for sale and a loft had been converted for use as a further room for growing plants, said Jerry Hayes, prosecuting.

He said 20-year-old Besart Thaci was arrested as he tried to escape from police by jumping over fences outside the property.

Thaci, of no fixed address, admitted production of cannabis between August 1 and October 31 this year.

Sentencing him Recorder Graham Huston described the cannabis growing operation as “relatively sophisticated” and said it was capable of producing a significant quantity of cannabis.

He said Thaci had paid £25,000 to be smuggled into the UK and had arrived here after six attempts.

He said he would have been paid between £10,000 and £15,000 for looking after the plants.

Giles Fleming, for Thaci, said his client was in the UK illegally and would be deported after he’d served his sentence.