A man was found with cannabis on drying racks in his loft with a street value of up to £29,000.

Eidmantas Dervinis, 54, had harvested the cannabis plants and was drying it ready for use, Norwich Crown Court was told.

Caroline Moonan, prosecuting, said police raided the King's Lynn address of Dervinis on February 1, this year, and noticed a strong smell of cannabis.

She said when police went in the loft they found empty pots which had been used for growing the cannabis plants.

She said there was drying racks with a large amount of cannabis and there was also a tub of cannabis and some scales.

She said the street value of the cannabis seized was between £21,750 to £29,000.

Ms Moonan said when interviewed Dervinis said it was his first attempt at growing the drug and claimed he had intended it to be for personal use,. However the court heard he now accepted that this was not the case.

Dervinis, of Milton Avenue, King's Lynn, who had the help of a Lithuanian interpreter in court, admitted producing cannabis and was jailed two years, suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work. and pay £300 towards costs.

Jason Stevens, defending, said Dervinis came to the UK in 2015 and had been working hard and had a settled life with his partner.

"He has now spoilt his record of being in the UK."

He said Dervinis started growing the cannabis for his own personal use : "He had no idea as to what the level of success he would have."

He said Dervinis had been using cannabis at the time, but since his arrest had stopped: "He has abstained from cannabis now."

Mr Stevens said if Dervinis was given immediate custody it would impact on his partner.

"He is the main breadwinner."

Sentencing him, Judge Alice Robinson said Dervinis had been involved in production of a substantial quantity of cannabis.

"It is accepted that you were expecting a significant financial advantage by growing this quantity of cannabis as well as to supply yourself."