A man has been jailed for playing his part in the production of a "sophisticated" £440,000 cannabis farm in a disused care home in a Powys village.

Endrit Rusta, 32, was caught in May 2016 when police attended the former Unity care home in Llandrinio following reports of men at the site wearing balaclavas.

Sion ap Mihangel, prosecuting, told Mold Crown Court on Thursday (July 29) that inside the building was a "significant large-scale" commercial operation where rooms had been converted to grow more than 860 cuttings and 100 plants at various stages of growth.

Mr ap Mihangel said Rusta, of Newton Road in Sandwell near Birmingham, who gave a fake name to police, had been caught on camera visiting the building more than five or six times and had been trusted to buy food and material for the workers living at the property who were supervising the cannabis.

The court heard that Rusta had moved away when he was on police bail and had started a family while at large until he handed himself to a police station late last year.

Rusta gave evidence in court via videolink from HMP Berwyn where he had been on remand for almost three months, saying that he was desperate for money at the time as he was struggling to find a job, and that he was paid £100 whenever he visited the property to check if the windows and doors were closed.

His barrister, Eiran Reilly, told the court that the 32-year-old had moved on with his life since the incident five years ago.

"He has not been in trouble and is not going to anything like this ever again," he said.

"He is remorseful and has never done something like this. He knew it was a stupid thing."

During sentencing Judge Timothy Petts told Rusta that he was sure that he knew the scale of the operation during his visits and was downplaying his involvement. However, the judge said he was sure that Rusta had no upward influence in the chain.

He said: "While I realise that an immediate custody would have a harmful impact on your partner and children, those who knowingly get involved as you have done with the large-scale production of a very significant amount of cannabis you cannot complain that an immediate custody is the outcome.

"You did so doubly precariously, not only you were an illegal immigrant having overstayed your visitors visa, but also you knew the police had a reason to deal with you."

Rusta was given an immediate prison sentence of 18 months for production of cannabis which had been reduced for his early guilty plea.