THE landlords of a rented house went to check on the premises because of unpaid rent and found a cannabis farm had been set up in one of the rooms.
They were unable to get in because the locks had been changed. When a man approached with a key they were let in – and they forced open the internal living room door which was also locked.
Inside was a cannabis growing area with a hydroponics system, lighting, and dehumidifiers.
There were 14 cannabis plants with a potential yield of £4,600, said prosecuting barrister Phillip Clemo.
The man who let them in, Polish national Sebastian Walczak, 31, left the premises at Top Farm Road in Rhosrobin in his car but the landlords, brothers Mark and David Morris, took the registration number and alerted the police.
Walczak, who followed the proceedings with the aid of an interpreter, allegedly told the landlords the locked room was his room.
But that was denied in court and defending barrister Caroline Harris said her client had poor English and put that down to an interpretation problem.
Mold Crown Court heard that Walczak, of Derby Villas, Stanley Street, Wrexham, initially denied involvement.
But his finger print had been found in the room.
Miss Harris said her client’s case was that he would visit the house to play cards with some other Polish people there.
Judge Merfyn Hughes QC said his basis of plea was not accepted by the prosecution and he adjourned the case for evidence to be called from the landlords.