A KITCHEN fitter who turned his rented home into a multi-thousand pound commercial cannabis farm has been jailed for 18 months.

Mark Gilbert used a false name to tenant the property in Victoria Avenue, Eccleshill, Bradford, where he grew 55 cannabis plants in the bedrooms, with a bulk value of £13,500.

Police busted the farm on September 11 last year when they called at the address because of complaints about the smell, Bradford Crown Court heard.

Gilbert, 40, was homeless and out of work at the time, his solicitor advocate, Alex Boyd, told the court.

He was a drugs misuser who was promised a financial cut from the cannabis crop.

Gilbert, who had no similar previous convictions, pleaded guilty to production of cannabis.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC, labelled Gilbert a drug dealer and said he had created a sophisticated cannabis farm.

“This was set up with some skill and professionalism. This wasn’t an amateur effort by someone following steps on the internet,” Judge Thomas said.